For Now And Forever
by Kage Shinsou
Summary: A new way of telling the events of the Sekirei Plan.A confident young Minato travels to Tokyo and gets swept up in a game of love, intrigue and danger. What will happen with him and his Sekirei? The level of writing increases every chapter. Lemons inside
1. A chance encounter

_**I have gone with the idea for a while to rewrite the original Sekirei manga a little bit. After reading Platiniumsabr's rewrite of the Rosario+Vampire manga, I got inspired to do the same for Sekirei. My plan is this: I want Minato to be a more dominant and cool character (Different from the wuss he is in the manga.) I also want to change the personalities of his Sekirei a little, but not much, and maybe redesign their look a little. I will keep to the original storyline to a certain degree, but I will also rewrite the story line to fit better with my is my first attempt at a fanfic, so I hope I will be able to improve my writing over the course of this story. **_

_**If you think this sounds like a good idea, and like my writing style, please leave a positive review. I you think I should write differently, please write a review where you give me feedback on my work. **_

_**This story will most likely be rerated M for future content. I plan to add lemons**_

Minatos Chance Encounter

_Failed?!_

_How is that possible?_

Minato reread the rejection letter from Tokyo University once again. His stomach felt like it had been filled with ice cold lead. _This wasn't how it was supposed to be, _he thought with disbelief. _I'm not meant to be a ronin_. For a moment he was overwhelmed by the foreboding that his future lay in ruins

He had always had a sharp mind, but he never had good control of his tension buildup during the examination period. Nevertheless he had been certain he would be accepted into Tokyu U, so certain indeed that he hadn't made any contingency plans.

Damn, he cursed under his breath. _Well, no time crying over what should have been. It's time to make the best out of the situation. Maybe there is a higher meaning behind it after all. Maybe it was just meant to be_. With these clarifying thoughts, he faced his future face on, and never looked back. Never would he have imagined what plans fate had in store for him.

* * *

_**At the same time, unbeknownst to Minato, a man dressed in pure white stood at the top of the highest building in Tokyo, regarding the city with barely concealed anticipation. "Well now", he declared. "It time for the game to start. The pieces are all set, and the game master is ready. What will the future bring, I wonder?" With these words, he started the incident which would be known as the Sekirei Plan; a deadly game of love, risks and determination. Who will emerge victorious?**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

_I need to find a place to live_, Minato thought. He had called his mom to give her the bad news, but she had seemed absentminded, like she always did when she was immersed in her work. She had promised to help him out financially to a certain extent, but he realized that he needed to find a cheap place to live, if he should be able to survive in the city.

He was so deeply immersed in his thoughts, that he barely noticed the voice calling for him to watch out, before it was too late. The next thing he knew, he lay on his back with a person over him.

"I'm, I'm so s-sorry, sir. I didn't notice you in time, and ran you over. I'm so sorry." Minato looked up curiously at the girl who was stuttering her apologies. With just a quick glance, he took in her unreal beauty. "That's okay, I'm not hurt," he replied with a calm tone. "There's nothing to worry about."

* * *

The girl flushed a little by his kind response, but was jolted back to reality when she heard the voice of one of her pursuers: "There's no use running, come and fight us!"

_Oh no_, she thought. _I can't fight them yet_, _I have to find my Ashikabi-sama first_. "Leave me alone! I don't want to fight you yet," she yelled to the two women who had been following her for a while. _What should I do? She _thought with dread_. They have followed me for quite a while now, and it doesn't seem like they're going to give up soon either._

"That is not an option; we take out the weak ones who haven't been winged yet, that is our strategy. So just die quietly!"

She could feel the power they were gathering to strike at her with, and she knew she would have to escape, but for a moment she stood there paralyzed.

_This is bad_, she thought with panic. _Move, god damn it._

"That is enough! I don't know what your business is with this girl, but it is obvious that it's distressing her, so I'm advising you to leave her alone." A powerful voice boomed out from the man standing in front of her, shielding her from the glare of her pursuers.

_What, isn't he a normal human? He doesn't have the power to fight a Sekirei, let alone two winged ones like those two. I have to get him out of here, _the girl thought.

"I don't like the look of these two. If you run now, I will try to hold them off as long as possible. Get as far away from here as you can!"

_Again he says everything with such a calm voice, it seems like he doesn't understand the situation at all, but then again, how could he_? The girl asked herself. _But he is brave though._

She could feel the attack coming, and before she got time to think it through, she had grabbed a hold of young man with the calm voice, and ran away with him as fast as she could.

* * *

After a wild sprint at a pace which seemed impossible to Minato, it seemed like they had lost those two women.

_If that was really what they were_, Minato thought with a gloom. When he had stood up to them, he had suddenly felt like those two women hid powers way beyond that of a normal human being. Almost like something supernatural.

When he thought about it, the woman in front of him felt strangely the same…

"I'm so sorry for getting you involved in this." He barely heard her murmur before she collapsed in his arms.

He looked down at the beautiful girl who lay unconscious in his arms. She had small burns on her arms and legs, but it didn't seem like they could have her to lose consciousness. Just when he was about to call an ambulance he heard her stomach grumble noisily.

He carried the starving girl home and prepared a big lunch. At the smell of the food she woke up with eyes that clearly were hungry.

"Is this really for me?" she asked timidly. When he nodded she hogged in, eating like she hadn't done so for days

While she was eating he couldn't take his eyes off her. He had noticed that she was a beauty at first sight, but now he realized that beauty was an understatement. She had a body with gorgeous sun-tanned skin and with curves that could make a grown man weep. Her face was so stunning that she practically lit up the room. But what really drew him in were her eyes. The irises had a rich and deep hazel-color and he felt like he was drowning in them.

"Who are you?" He whispered, not realizing that he had let his thoughts out aloud

"I'm Sekirei nr.88: Musubi," she answered with a bright smile. "And you are?"

"Ah, I'm Minato Sahashi. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

_Sekirei hmm_, he wondered. _What could that possibly mean?_

* * *

"Minato," she tasted the name, feeling a slight warmth spreading through her chest. _Maybe this person is my Ashikabi-sama_? She looked up at him, seeing his gentle eyes regarding her with interest. The warmth grew stronger and she could feel her heart fluttering. She crawled slowly closer to him, feeling the heat intensify as she drew nearer and nearer.

"Musubi, is there something wrong? You look a little flushed"

When she heard his voice calling her name, her cheeks turned even redder than before, but she didn't dare say anything until she was so close that she could feel the warmth from his breath, in fear that her resolve would break.

"I t-think I've found you, Ashikabi-sama," she said in a low voice before she drew his lips until hers with utmost care.

Immediately she felt the heat that had been building in her chest erupt, and spread through her entire body. The tingling in the place where his lips had met hers, spread throughout her body on waves of pleasure greater than she had ever imagined.

_I've found him, _she rejoiced._ I found my one and only Ashikabi-sama._

Minato had been curious when the girl crawled towards him driven by an instinct of some sort, but he had not expected her to kiss him as tenderly as she had, nor had he anticipated the reaction the kiss would cause.

After a quick kiss that seemed to last a lifetime, the girl had drawn back, letting a small gasp escape her soft lips. He opened his eyes just in time to see wings of light spring out of her back.

"Are you an angel?" he asked her with wonder in his voice.

The girl laid her hands over her heart, and looked up at him with the most beautiful eyes Minato had ever seen; "I am a Sekirei, and I pledge my love to you now and forever."

Minato could only stare with amazement at the girl he had only just met this morning, who now pledged her eternal love to him. Even though a small part of his brain told him that this situation would most likely lead to many tough trials for him in the future, all of his worries disappeared when he looked into the smiling face of the Sekirei called Musubi.

The shrill of his phone calling jolted him back into reality. On reflex he snapped it open and answered.

"Congratulations Minato. You were magnificently chosen to the partner of a Sekirei."

A man dressed in a white robe had appeared on the tiny screen of the telephone. Minato was sure he had seen the man before, but he couldn't really recall where he had seen this strange man before.

"Oh, hi professor," Musubi greeted happily over his shoulder.

"You're director Minaka of MBI aren't you? How did you know my name?" Minato enquired with disbelief.

"There's nothing I don't know," the director answered with a small laughter. "But more importantly. The Sekirei Plan. That is the name of the game you are now participating in, Minato-kun. The rules are simple. 108 Sekirei will fight and fight each other, and the Ashikabi of the remaining Sekirei will be allowed to Ascend with his Sekirei. The Ashikabi who overcomes these odds will hold the fate of the world in his hands. Good luck in gaining the world, Minato Sahashi." With those words he was gone.

Minatos mind went into overdrive analyzing and considering the directors words.

"Minato-sama, are you okay?" He snapped back to reality, and found himself staring into the worried eyes of his Sekirei.

"Yes, I was pondering the implications of this game, and I think I've gotten down the basics. The only thing I wonder about what he meant about Ascending with your Sekirei."

"Only the winner of the Sekirei Plan will be able to grant his wish and stay with his Sekirei forever. Therefore I will become stronger so that I am able to stay with you, my Ashikabi-sama."

Even though he had his doubts regarding this 'Sekirei Plan', his worries was erased like snow before the sun when he looked into the loving eyes of the girl, who had just vowed to stake her life and fight for him at whatever the cost.

_I love her_, Minato realized. _I've just met her, but I already love her to this extent. For her, I too will put my life on the line. Some things are worth fighting for._

_Yes, but are some things worth killing for,_ a sly voice in the back of his head whispered…

**To be continued…**


	2. A New Beginning

_**Finally I'm done with this second chapter. It took me some time, as I met the wall about halfway into the chapter. When I finally started writing again, it came to me so suddenly. The rating will as foretold, now go up to M because of lemons. **_

**A New Beginning**

He awoke from deep sleep, feeling an unfamiliar warmth pressing up against him, and his nostrils caught an unknown smell. For a split-second he tensed, all senses alert to a possible danger, but then he relaxed. He had awoken in Musubis arms, feeling her naked skin pressing up against his.

_How did we end up like this? _ He wondered. _I remember trying to relax a little after yesterdays shocking revelations, but it seems like I fell asleep instead. It still doesn't explain why she is cuddled up naked next to me._

For a second he considered waking her, but instead he drew her closer and thought: _Ah, what the hell, this feels nice. _

It seemed that just that slight movement was enough to wake her up, or maybe she had been awake for a while, waiting for him to regain consciousness. "Good morning Minato-sama," she greeted with a sleepy voice, and snuggled his head between her breasts, causing his blood to flow faster.

"Good morning, Musubi," he replied after having been released from her embrace. "I was a little surprised by how I woke up this morning, but I can't say I was very unhappy about it."

She flushed a little by his playful barb. "I'm so sorry. I have grown up being isolated from the outside worlds, so that I'm not that good at common sense yet."

"Hey, didn't I say that it was okay?" Minato smiled. "And do you really mean that you have been living for maybe 20 years in an isolated facility?"

* * *

She looked down, a little anxious when she answered; "We Sekirei have been kept at a secret MBI facility while we matured, though we mature much faster than normal humans. Our early childhood is very short, maybe just a year, because it doesn't have anything with our purpose. The maturing process slows down a bit when we look about the same as a human 12 year old, but we still age faster than humans."

_Why I am I telling him all of this? The lady at the MBI warned us against telling our Ashikabi too much of the diversity between Sekirei and humans, don't you remember? She said that humans are afraid of anything different than themselves and that they might reject you if they became too scared. And now it's too late, you've told him almost all you know._

With these bleak thoughts, her light anxiety dropped to a level closer to dread. She definitely didn't want him to be afraid of her, nor push her away. "I shouldn't have told you this," she murmured, not really sure it she voiced it or not. "I don't want you to fear me."

Her fears were quickly put to rest as Minato came close and lifted her chin so she could look directly into his dark eyes; "I don't. I have already accepted that you are not completely human, but that doesn't change my regard for you. I have accepted the responsibilities that come with being an Ashikabi, and I really want to know more about you, Musubi. Please don't be afraid to tell me something that I might need to know."

Upon hearing his reassuring words relief flooded through her and she felt her knees buckle. _Thank goodness, _she thought as she sagged into his arms, dragging them both down on the floor.

As she lay in his arms she could feel her body reacting to his proximity . She suddenly became aware of the warmth of his skin, and of the intimate position they were in._. _She looked into his eyes again and could see him looking warmly into hers. A sudden blush crawled up her neck and spread to her cheeks. All her senses were transfixed on trying to catch every detail of his being.

Suddenly she felt an unfamiliar heat building up between her legs, and it took an effort of will to stop her hands from fidgeting with the source of heat buildup._ What is this feeling? I was sleeping next to him all night, but I didn't feel like this then. It feels more like the time I was winged for the first time, only stronger. _

She unconsciously pressed herself closer to Minato's body, reaching for his mouth when suddenly…

* * *

The shrill ringing of the doorbell broke them out of their reverie. Inwardly, Minato groaned. He had seen that something had been confusing the girl, and he had been content to wait for Musubi to find her answer, but the doorbell had disturbed them. _The one responsible for this better have a good reason._

He opened the door to find the sour face of his landlord. "Minato-kun, I've heard voices and noise coming from your apartment. You know the rules of this complex: Singles only, no disturbances at night."

"_Has this old geezer been listening to the walls?" _Minato thought. Sudden anger flared through him, and it must have shown in his eyes, because the old man took an involuntarily step back. At that moment Musubi soft voice called for him and soothed his anger: "Who is it Minato-sama?"

The old man's sourness came back and he opened his mouth, but Minato interrupted him before he was able to speak: "I'm sorry sir, it seems like my time here was short. I'm moving out today, as you can see this apartment isn't big enough for me anymore."

His firmness must have shown in his eyes as the old man turned with an angry humph and left without a comment.

"I'm sorry Musubi, but can you help me move out? We need to find a new place to live."

* * *

Musubi didn't really understand what had happened between the two men, but she kept her questions to herself and helped Minato pack up his scarce belongings. Within an hour they were finished packing, and they went out looking for an apartment.

"Minato-sama, we can use this to pay for an apartment," Musubi said and held forth the MBI credit card she had been given when she was released into the city.

To her surprise denied her help by saying; "No, but thank you Musubi. As a man, I must be able to handle my own problems. I can't rely on other people when it comes to matters such as this. That would be an injury to my pride, and I have always followed my own code of honor."

Musubi didn't press the issue, but she wished she could be able to help him. She had sworn to protect him in every way she could, and right now she felt like she was just dragging him down.

* * *

Minato went deep into his own thoughts. He had chosen his apartment because it was so cheap. With his part time job he should have been able to find a bigger place to live, but he had chosen to keep it simple. Now he had to find a place where two people could live. His attention was suddenly jerked to the flyer hanging on a telephone pole. It was an advertisement for an inn called Izumo, which according to the flyer was situated just around the corner. Looking over the details, it seemed perfect for his needs. "Come Musubi, it seems like our luck has changed." He smiled at her, and was rewarded by her face lighting up in response

They soon arrived at the inn and met with the landlady, who introduced herself as Miya Asama. Minato explained his situation and asked if she had a double room for hire. To his surprise, Miya accepted him as a tenant at once, not asking for his credentials or for his guarantors.

_There's something about her I just can't put my finger on, _Minato thought. _At first glance she seems like just a regular person, but there's something she's hiding. But for now, I will keep my curiosity in check._

After a quick tour of their new apartment, Minato and Musubi went to get all of Minato's belongings back at the old apartment. After a brief discussion with the landlord, he got his deposit back and was ready to leave. To his surprise and embarrassment Musubi insisted on carrying all his belongings on her back.

When they arrived back at Izumo Inn and started to unpack, a familiar voice called from behind his back: "Yo, so you guys are the new residents here?" Minato turned to face Kagari, a guy he had met a few months back when touring the nightlife of Tokyo. "Kagari, you handsome pimp, long time no see." Kagari's face lit up in recognition. "Minato, you shameless womanizer, I didn't know that it would be you that moved in. And who is the beautiful lady. Don't tell me she is the reason that you are renting a double room?" "Kagari, this is Musubi. Musubi, Kagari is a drinking buddy of mine. He works as a nightclub host and can be very charming when he wants to. We met when he was being beat up by two yakuza gangsters, and I had to save his sorry ass." "Hey, that is not true. I would have handled those two with ease if you had not stepped in." Kagari protested. "Sure you could, but can we talk later? We have quite a lot to unpack." "Yes, of course. I'll see you at dinner."

"Minato, what is a host?" Musubi asked with curiosity. Minato almost gaped at her, but the he remembered how innocent Musubi was in her knowledge of the world. He explained to her how some men met up with women at clubs and bars at night and kept them company. She still looked a little puzzled when he finished explaining, but he kept it at that, not wanting to explain some of the shadier details.

The rest of the day went by to unpack and get settled into the new apartment. At dinnertime, both Minato and Musubi were called down to the living room, where the landlord had prepared dinner. There they were introduced to yet another tenant of Izumo Inn, a longhaired brunette called Uzume.

While eating dinner, Minato couldn't help feeling a little on edge. _It feels like the air around this table is overloaded with energy. I have felt this feeling before from being around Musubi, but never as strong as this. I wonder if there is someone else who is adding fuel to the fire around this table?_

"Is there something wrong, Minato-sama? You seemed a little troubled during dinner," Musubi asked while looking at him with worry in her eyes. "No, Musubi. I'm fine. My mind was just somewhere else. A long day you know." Strangely, despite his answer, Musubi looked even more worried, and sat down right in front him.

"I hope you don't dislike me for all the trouble I have put you through." Musubi apologized with a voice clearly dreading his answer. "I'm so sorry that you had to move out because of me. I feel like I have only brought you trouble since the moment I met you. Can you please forgive me?"I really want you to love me the way I love you, but I don't see how you can after everything I have brought you through just in the one day we've known each other.

* * *

He answered by clasping both his hands to her face, and brought his lips up to hers. The kiss was so full of emotion that she was stunned for a second, but soon she was engulfed in the warmth that spread through her body. The kiss was so full of insistence that the cold anxiety that had gripped her chest just moments ago, vanished without a trace. She reveled in the sensation the kiss brought her, and couldn't help letting out a little whine of disappointment when their lips parted.

"I'm sorry that you have been going around and tormenting yourself over whether or not you're feelings would be reciprocated. I wish I had told you this the moment I met you, because I realized it the moment I saw you." Minato took her hands and looked her deep into her eyes. "I love you Musubi. I feel connected to you in a way I have never felt before"

She was struck speechless by his confession. She had always dreamed of finding an Ashikabi who would return her love, and here her fantasy came true. She suddenly reacted to the passion that was building up inside her and drew him into her embrace. "Can you feel my heart beating, Minato-sama? It beats so fast I feel like it's going to burst." She slid down to the bed, lest fearing that she would lose consciousness, but still kept him in her tight embrace.

She could feel the strange, yet familiar heat starting to build between her legs. The heat intensified when she felt their hips meet, and she couldn't help letting a small gasp escape her lips. She still didn't know what caused this feeling, but right then that didn't matter, she wanted to explore it. "Minato-sama…" she started, but he cut her off by placing a soft kiss on her lips and whispering: "Shh, just lie back and enjoy and I'll show you what this feeling is."

* * *

Minato had certainly felt her heart beating at a breakneck pace and her breathing grow faster, but he on the other hand, knew definitely what it meant. He could also feel the arousal burning through his body, when he looked at this beautiful woman, dressed in only one of his white shirts and her panties. Due to her light perspiration, it had stuck to her body, and showed off her gorgeous features. While it was true that he had been a bit of a womanizer in his past, he had never before seen such a beauty. Never before had he seen a woman with such bountiful breast, but yet so firm hips and well rounded ass. He knew that some women had paid thousands of dollars to be able have Musubi's body features, but differently from the plastic women, Musubi radiated a natural beauty that no surgeon could create.

Suddenly he ended up on top of her, and he could feel his pants starting to tighten as a reaction. _What have I ever done to be worthy of this goddess?_ He thought with a smile on his lips. She then blushed deeply, and he knew that she was about to ask him something that he rather wanted to show her, so he cut her off in midsentence. _Not only the beauty of a goddess, but also the purity of a maiden. I almost feel a little dirty by what I am about to do to her._

He continued kissing down her throat, which lead her already strained breathing to degrade into lustful panting. Her hands, that until recently had been lying motionless at her sides, went up to his hair and started ruffling it, while he continued his trail of kisses down her collarbone and into her cleavage.

She drew in her breath sharply when he started unbuttoning her shirt, and her blush grew stronger and stronger the closer she came to full nudity. Though she seemed a little shy, her every action encouraged him to proceed. When he lightly pushed his lips against one of her erect nipples, she let a low moan escape her lips and arched her back to press his face closer to her.

After spending a little time caressing her bountiful bosom, he restarted his trail of kisses towards her most sensitive areas. The closer he came, the more ragged her breath became. When reaching her last piece of garment, he slowly pulled it off, all the while caressing her lean and sleek thighs. She was now lying fully nude, and he couldn't help himself but admire the view. _Wow, even if I have to pay with my life for this act, it would still be totally worth it._

_

* * *

_

Her whole body was reveling in the pleasure he was giving her. At first, she had been a little self-conscious about the situation she was in, but as soon as he started showering her body with light kisses, she couldn't help falling back and enjoying the experience. As he progressed down her body, all of her inhibitions and doubts faded away, and she found her body begging for more of his loving affections. By the sweet tingling between her legs, she knew that something good was soon to happen, and she wanted it so bad that her whole body was tightening with anticipation.

By the time she was fully nude, she was already at her breaking point. Her sex was throbbing so hard she practically was begging for release. She moaned when Minato started working ever so slowly his way back up her leg. "Stop tormenting me, Minato-sama!" she begged. "I feel like I'm going to explode any second." He looked up at her with a playful smile on his lips. "Really?" he smirked. "What is it that you want me to do?" He let one of his fingers glide up her thighs and gently stroke her throbbing folds. "That," she sobbed. "Give me everything, just don't torment me anymore."

"Very well then, I will stop teasing you then. Prepare for an experience beyond anything you have ever felt before then." He said, and put his tongue on her painfully aroused folds.

She had to bite down on her lips to keep in the cry that wanted to escape when he pushed his tongue into her. She grasped for the sheets when the tension in her was nearing the limit of what she thought she could endure. Musubi closed her eyes and focused solely on the soft tongue of her fated one moving in her.

When he pushed her weeping petals aside, and let his tongue glide over her most sensitive point, she felt the last vestige of her control slip away. The tension that had been slowly building up inside her was released all at once and flooded through her body on waves of debilitating pleasure. Her mind became completely blank, more than happy to ride blissfully along with the waves.

* * *

Minato was surprised by both how fast she had acquired and how strong her orgasm was. Her body shook with the force of it, and she couldn't keep in the cries of pleasure it caused. It was certainly the most erotic sight he had ever seen. He crept up and claimed her lips once more, being rewarded with a happy sigh and the now common wings of light.

"More, Minato-sama! I want more." She pressed out with an unsteady voice. Guided by some innate instinct, she reached for his pants, pulling them down in one fluid motion, revealing his hardness eagerly awaiting its turn.

With minimal effort she reversed their positions, him finding himself pinned down by a much more sexual version of Musubi, who was kissing him with a surprising fervor. _This is not something I expected her to turn into, at least not on the first night. _He groaned when she started kissing and licking her way down his body, albeit at a faster pace than the one he had used. _Well, she's definitely a fast learner. _When she took his progressed even further down, he was content to lie back and enjoy the feeling of her soft lips treating his throbbing manhood with utmost care.

After a short, but pleasurable treatment, her tongue was drawn back, and she sat herself back at top of him. She didn't give him any time to recollect herself before she slipped herself down at his waiting shaft, sinking herself all the way down. She soon had attained a steady rhythm, grinding herself up and down his manhood, causing small waves of pleasure run through him every time. He reached up for her beautifully bouncing breast, fondling her nipples between his fingers, and being rewarded with small moans escaping her lips

* * *

She looked down at her Ashikabi lying under her in the moonlight, savoring the pleasure every time he moved in her. Her skin burned every place his fingers met it, and small jolts of pleasure shot through her every time he kissed her. _I truly love this man_, she thought happily. _He is the one I was fated to be with. _After the waves of her orgasm had receded, she wanted to give him the same pleasure he had given her, and she had followed her instincts.

She upped the tempo of their lovemaking, wanting him to feel the same indescribable release, and she could hear his breath becoming more and more ragged.

* * *

Minato could feel the last of his control slipping away from him. His whole body was aware of the girl riding on top of him, every nerve alight with pleasure. He could feel the familiar tightening in his groin building up, and the contractions that were soon to follow. The pleasure Musubi gave him was about to reach its peak.

What sent him over the edge was when she drew his face into the valley of her breast and screamed out in pleasure: "Minato-sama!" His control broke, and an orgasm stronger than anything he'd had in his entire life coursed through his body.

From far away he could hear his own detached voice observing: _This orgasm is not a normal thing, it brings with it a power you've never had. Can't you feel the power being infused into you?_

When he fell back onto the bed, this thought was almost gone, like a dream fleeting away from his grasp. He did not feel very different from before. All of his thoughts were interrupted by the girl that collapsed on top of him, whispering: "I love you, Minato-sama," before she fell fast asleep. _No cuddly talk here, _he thought with amusement, before he snuggled in next to her, whispering: "I love you too, Musubi." Seconds later, he was asleep in her embrace.

_**Authors Note**__**: I both managed to add a "good?" lemon section, and I managed to introduce a plot twist in this chapter. I'm so proud of myself**____**. **_

_**The twist I am talking about is the part where Minato feel the strange power awakening in him, as this is something I have planned to elaborate on in the coming chapters. I have not yet decided on the extent or the origins behind his powers, so if you have some good ideas, or just some constructive critics, please write a review. I hope you enjoy this second chapter.**_


	3. The Broken Sekirei

_A game of life and death, heh. I guess I expected something like that, but it still came as quite of a shock to me. _Minato was deep in thought as he walked through Shinjuku Park. It was a pretty cold spring evening, but Minato didn't notice the bitter wind, lost as he was in his own thoughts.

_Sure, I've been in some threatening fights before, but then it would always be me who would have to pay the prize if I lost. Now I'm involved in some battle royalé where people I love are taking all the risks, while I am the one that needs protection. I've never felt so worthless and less of a man. _

The feeling of worthlessness and despair was threatening to overcome him, but through a sheer force of will, he pushed the dark thoughts back and steeled his resolve. _I will not let them die, or come to harm due to my weakness. I will definitely find the power I need to defend them and be worthy of their love._

* * *

_//\\__**Flashback//\\**_

"Is there anything you want to know about the Sekirei Plan, Mina-tan?"

Minato stared with curiosity at the red-haired beauty sitting curled up in a room full of computers and monitors. He had been randomly walking around the inn when he heard some strange noises in one of the hallways. He quickly pinpointed that the source of the noise came from behind something he thought was a wall at the end of the hallway. He moved warily closer, and could now identify the strange noise._ Is somebody snickering behind this wall, or am I just going insane? _When he tried putting his ear against the wall, it suddenly gave in and he found himself falling into a dark room, lit only by a dozen monitors hanging on the walls.

_What the hell? _All around him he could see himself looking down from the various monitors, and in the middle of the room sat at speckled red-head unquestionably caught in the act of pleasuring herself to his image. _Ok, now I am sure I am still dreaming, something as weird this can't happen in real life. _

"Ku ku ku. This is a situation I had not predicted. It seems like the gods wanted to give Matsu a perfect gift subject for her to be experimenting on." Wearing a grin comparably to that of the pedobear, the snickering woman crawled closer and closer to him.

_Ok, this must be the most absurd situation I've ever been in. Here's the obviously nymphomaniac stalker beauty who definitely wants some kinky sex and the setting is a dark room. This seems oddly familiar to one of those dirty movies I watched when I was a teenager, maybe I'm just dreaming out that scene. _This theory that was coursing through Minato's mind seemed perfectly plausible until he recognized the sensation the woman was emitting. It was exactly the same as the one Musubi was constantly radiating.

"You're a Sekirei, aren't you?" The question stopped her dead in her tracks. "How did you know?" She asked. "Did you see my crest?" "No, it was more like recognizing a smell, I suppose. I just knew" he answered her calmly. It seemed like her perverted agenda was forgotten for the time being. He was about to ask her something, when she surprisingly shot forward, pinned him to the ground and kissed him with fervor. _Okay, maybe not completely forgotten. _He thought incredulously, feeling his body completely paralyzed by her sudden action. When he registered the wings of light appearing at her back, he finally realized what had just happened. He had understood that kissing a Sekirei meant much more than just a kiss, it was indeed the forming of a deep spiritual bond, which transcended the normal definitions of friendship and love. Even though his bonding with Musubi had only happened a few days before, he had realized that their relationship was predestined a long time ago.

_So how does she fit into all of this? Can I give her the same as I give Musubi? What will the prize for kiss turn out to be?_ His emotions were swirling inside him, making any coherent answers impossible. He looked at her with a pained look, but it seemed like she understood his distress easily.

"Don't worry Mina-tan, I know about Musubi and you. I know a lot about Sekirei and our destiny here at this planet, and the fated bonds we have to our Ashikabis." She said in a calm and loving tone. "I do not expect to be your only one; in fact I expect with your power, I will be one among many. I will be happy as long as you can love me too. I am Sekirei number 2, Matsu, and I promise to be with you forever and ever."

Minato's concerns slowly faded away by her words, and when he looked into her eyes, he could feel a slight warmth in his chest growing due to their recently developed bond. He was trying to find the words to say to her when she reverted to her previous perverted self and exclaimed. "And I always wanted to watch a real-life soap opera, not participate in it."

"So in the end, you're really just a peeper, aren't you" Minato blurted out, clasping his hands to his mouth when he realized how rude he had just been. To his surprise, Matsu only pouted and answered in a fake hurt tone: "That not's true, I am also a super genius hacker with vast knowledge." _So she doesn't deny being a peeper_, Minato thought with amusement. She definitely was a strange one.

"So, is there something you want to know about the Sekirei Plan, Mina-tan? I am not called the Sekirei of knowledge for nothing." Minato felt his mind filling with questions at those words. _Who are these so-called Sekirei? What is the reason behind this fight? How did their powers work? _

Yet all these questions went unspoken, because there was only one matter he really needed to hear the answer to. But even as he spoke his question out loud, he dreaded to hear the answer, as he already had a premonition to what the response would be; "Minaka stated that this was a game, but in every game there is a loser. What happens to those that lose in this situation?"

He could see the sadness in Matsu's eyes when she answered ominously: "They die."

\\//**End of Flashback//\\**

* * *

_Alone, useless, broken and discarded, that is what I am. I have nowhere to go, no one who cares about me. What point is there for me to go on living? _These melancholy thoughts drifted through her head, hammering her into a state of depression. She looked up at the darkening sky, not even the stars bothering to give her solace. She could feel the cold and bitter wind biting at her exposed skin, but it didn't hurt her. _I am such a cold person that even the remnants of the winter frost can't compare to my coldness._

She looked down at the pale skin of her exposed arms. _Will these hands ever hold anything I can hold dear? I pray for that to be the case, but that will most likely never happen to me. After all, I am broken; I can never find my Ashikabi, the one I was destined to be with. _As her thoughts rapidly turned darker and darker she closed her eyes and found herself plummeting down into the void. She could literally feel her soul breaking apart, when a warm sensation dragged her out of the pool of darkness.

"Are you all right?" A deep voice called to her. "You shouldn't be outside when you're so scarcely dressed. Your skin feels so cold." She could feel a warm hand holding hers, and the gentle touch cleared away her dark thoughts like the sun clears away dark clouds. Her eyes slowly opened and focused at the man standing in front of her. He had short, ruffled dark hair and an open and handsome face. But what really drew her attention were his dark eyes. They radiated self-confidence and kindness, two things she craved for.

* * *

He had spotted the girl sitting in a daze at a park bench, looking both heartbroken and alone, and his heart instinctively reached out for her. She looked like the epitome of a lost soul, and he knew he couldn't leave her like that and just walk by, that was just not the kind of person he was. _The poor girl must be freezing in this cold wind_, he thought with pity. His own worries put aside, he walked over to the girl and asked her if she was all right. Despite her skin being pretty cold, she was not shivering, something that surprised Minato. Something that astonished him even more was when her eyes met his; they exuded only loneliness and pain. Her face showed no pain, no emotion whatsoever, but her eyes were definitely the mirror of her soul. It seemed like all happiness had been removed from them, and that broke his heart. Even though she was a complete stranger, he only wanted to hold her close and make her smile.

He was so entranced by her eyes that he at first didn't notice the familiar crest that decorated her forehead. Before he could even wrap his head around why the crest was on her forehead and not her neck, he had blurted out: "That mark, you're a Sekirei, aren't you?" He immediately regretted asking the question, as the girls eyes managed to look even more pained when she answered.

* * *

"I am, yet I am not. When I was being adjusted, something went wrong. My Sekirei Soul did not completely synch with my body, and I lost the possibility of ever bonding with an Ashikabi. I then become a scrapped product; my soul was encased in this body, but as a failure. I don't know why I was released into the game, because I have no reason to fight, no reason to stay alive either." Her face twisted into a melancholy smile, and she averted her eyes from his gaze. She didn't want to see him rejecting her. 

_I am no use for him, so why should he care about me? I wish he could have been my Ashikabi though; he seems so strong and full of resolve. But there is no point wishing for that_. She could feel tears gathering in her eyes, something that never had happened before. Not wanting to shame herself further in front of this man, she stood up to leave. "I am sorry that you have wasted your time on me, I will leave now." Cold tears ran down her cheeks, freezing into ice before they reached the ground. She hastily dried them away with her arm. Right as she was about to jump into the sky, two warm hands closed around hers, sending shivers up her spine for the first time in her life.

"Do you even have a place to go?" He said, not mockingly, but in a voice of genuine concern. She stood frozen, hesitant about what to do. She knew she should leave, but she couldn't muster the resolve to do so. _I don't want him to let go of my hand. His warmth feels so nice._

She didn't dare look at him, because if she looked into those warm russet eyes again, she knew her heart could not take it when he was tired of her and threw her away. "I will find somewhere I can stay tonight. I don't need your help to find a place to sleep." She tried to tug at her arm to make him release her, but her own body rebelled against the action. It didn't want that source of warmth to disappear.

"Look at you, you're shivering, and you feel so cold. There's no way you can stay outside at a cold night like this." His gentle voice insisted. "At least let me help you."

"This cold is nothing to me. I am the ice Sekirei, Akizu, and I am perfectly fine on my own." She said, still not daring to look him in the eyes. "If you could please let…"

"Nice to meet you Akizu," he cut her off in midsentence."I am Sahashi Minato."

_Minato. _She worded the name out in her mind, feeling a slight fluttering in her heart.

"But I was not just referring to your skin, Akizu. You act like everything's fine, but that is just ice walls you have built around you heart. You actually feel miserable and alone, don't you?"

_How did he see through me so easily?_ She stood there stunned at how easily he had seen past her stoic expression and right into her soul.

"N-no. You're wrong. I am perfectly fine." She weakly protested, not even fooling herself with the lie.

To her surprise, a warm hand was placed underneath her chin, gently forcing her to look back into his dark eyes. "Then why do your eyes look so sad? Why do they look like your heart is about to shatter?" His voice was pained now, and his tone brought her tears welling back into her eyes. She stood frozen at the spot, not knowing how to react to his pity nor his kindness.

"If you need a place to live, stay with me. If you need a purpose in life, let me help you find it. I can't stand the thought of letting you leave here alone." "Don't," she started to whisper, and took a step back, finishing her sentence much louder. "Don't you dare give me hope of a purpose in life when I know I have none!"

She was crying now, ice drops falling from her cheeks, and cracking against the ground with the sound of glass breaking. "I can't have you taking me in, knowing that you would throw me away when I am no longer useful. As I can't bond with you like a normal Sekirei, I would mean nothing to you compared to you other Sekirei. If I am discarded once again, I know I would die from the pain in my heart." She was almost screaming now, so close to the brink of hysteria. She could feel herself losing control of her power, as the temperature dropped about ten degrees.

She took a few deep breaths, returning to her normal stoic expression "Just forget you ever met me, and go home." She whispered and looked him in the eyes, expecting him to turn and run as fast as he could.

Instead she felt him lightly cuff her face with his warm hands and press his lips against her. She was so shocked that she couldn't respond, neither push him away nor reciprocate the kiss. The kiss lasted maybe just five seconds, but for her it could have been a lifetime. Even though no wings of light appeared, she still felt her soul respond to him, causing a strong heat to erupt from her center and course through her, melting away the walls around her heart.

When their lips broke apart, tears were again brimming in her eyes, but now for a completely different reason. She had known that a proper bond would not be made, but that was not a problem anymore. _I have an Ashikabi!_ she thought and a joy greater than anything she had ever felt before made her feel lightheaded.

"I'm…" he started, but she cut him off by placing a finger on his mouth. "Shh, don't speak. I know what you are going to say. That kiss was enough to convey your feelings to me. Even though I am broken, I swear myself to you now and forever. "

* * *

\\//XxoO//\\

_What kind of strange turn has my life taken? _Minato thought wryly. He was walking slowly home, Akizu following right behind him. They walked in silence, but she didn't seem to mind. She too, looked as she was in her own world.

_I had planned to start my studies after finishing a year in the army. Instead I ended up failing the entrance exams, getting myself in some crazy game, and now I have three women who have promised to love me for all eternity. Even my dreams aren't as absurd as this. And what the hell should I tell Musubi? I've already told her that I love her, but now I am certainly developing feelings for both Matsu and Akizu._

These thoughts were coursing through his head as he was trying to come up with an explanation or apology he could give to Musubi. He had always thought that he was an honest guy, never cheating on his girlfriends and lovers, but now he had kissed two girls he had just met in a single day.

He was dragged from his pondering when a familiar voice called out for him. A second later Musubi landed in front of him, apparently appearing from somewhere above him. _Speaking of the devil_ he groaned inwardly. _No point in avoiding it any further then._

"Who is she?" Musubi asked with interest, pointing to Akizu, who were standing calmly a few feet away from him. "How should I put this?" Minato started uncertainly. "This is Akizu, a Sekirei, and I have decided to take care of her. I'm…" He was about to apologize, when Musubi broke him off. "Oh, so she is your second Sekirei?" He let out an embarrassed cough, feeling a blush creeping up his neck. "Actually, this morning this Sekirei named Matsu kind of jumped me and winged herself. So technically Akizu is my third." He didn't know what else to say, so he stayed silent and waited for her reaction.

"Wow that is incredible Minato-sama. I knew that you were a powerful Ashikabi the moment I met you," she exclaimed and hugged him enthusiastically. He returned the gesture uncertainly; _this I did not expect. I expected her to shout or cry, possibly beat me up, but instead she seems happy._ _Or is this just an act?_

"Is this really okay, Musubi, Akizu?" He asked and looked at them in turn. "You're not hiding your true feelings from me are you? Personally I feel really divided on this issue and I can't seem to figure out my own feelings. I love both of you, but is that really fair to you? I don't want you to dislike each other, or me for that matter, I just…" His rambling was abruptly stopped by Musubi, who silenced him by pressing her finger against his mouth. She then stepped lightly over to Akizu and planted a passionate kiss on her mouth.

Minato stood there completely stunned; his mouth hanging slack and his tongue went dry. If he hadn't been so surprised he would have found the sight to be incredibly arousing. Akizu on the other hand, looked a little taken aback at first, but didn't seem to mind, actually looking like she enjoyed it.

* * *

Back in her room, Matsu snickered perversely as she watched the scene via a spy satellite. _Girls gone wild_ she thought as she fought to keep her laughter down. _What a classic soap-opera_

* * *

"Please understand Minato-sama," Musubi started after breaking off the kiss and returning her gaze to him. "The depth of our bond. All of our feelings are mutual and shared. My very soul responds to your actions and your feelings. I can tell that you love her the same way you love me, and that makes me love her too."

Minato stared in amazement at Musubi. She had said so simply that she loved whoever he loved, and some part of him was still calculating the implications of what she had told him, when he turned to Akizu.

She understood his untold question and answered shortly and stoically: "As our bond is not complete, my feelings do not respond in the same way as they normally should. But to me it is enough to know that you love me and have use for me." Apparently satisfied with her answer, he seemed to return to his own thought. _I certainly didn't dislike that kiss either_ she thought to herself, not daring to voice it out loud. To know that not just one, but two people loved her brought a heat to her chest, filling her with joyful emotions. _I have found a place I am wanted. Now I don't really need anything else._

**Authors Note:**

**Finally managed to get this chapter up. It took me a long time to find the inspiration I needed to start writing again. In that matter I want to thank DMacIntosh, who sent me a PM with an advice to incorporate Akizu into my story, and that gave me the inspirational boost I needed. So if you have any good ideas that you think might help me, write me a PM or a review. I'm apparently not a really good writer, so I need all the inspiration and motivation I can get.**

**Secondly, I did some editing on the last chapter. I removed the lines with the plea for help from Kusano. I had originally planned to introduce her in this chapter, but I ended up with Akizu instead. I'm sorry for this, and I hope to introduce her in the next chapter.**


	4. The Green Girl

**The Green Girl**

_Man, what an eventful day! I've formed bonds with two more gorgeous women, making me feel like a total douche for cheating on the girl I met two days ago, who I've already told that I love . Oh, and then the girl I love catch me unprepared and red-handed, and I'm sure I'm going to be beat up or killed, instead she makes out with new girl and tells me she loves whoever I love. I can't even convince myself that is a dream, because even my dreams aren't as messed up as this. _These thoughts played over and over in Minato's brain as he walked home in a daze. He had never felt so fazed before in his life, not even during his mission in Iraq, and at that time he had been fighting for his life, but even at that time he had been relatively calm. _So why can't I calm down right now? Ok, I'm suddenly a participant in a battle royale and I suddenly have three girls that love me, but handling three girls can't be that much more difficult than one, right? Hugh Hefner managed to, and he's an old man. I'm in a hell of a less danger now, than I was at that time. _

_Because at that time you knew what you were going to do, and you'd had extensive training in how to do it._ A tiny voice in his head answered him. _What freaks you out now isn't the harem thing, which has always been your dirty dream. No, what really scares you is the fact that you're of no use in this game; you're not the one meant to fight. You refuse to accept that it is these girls who will need to fight, take risks, get hurt and, and this is what stings you the most; they will need to protect you._

Even though every fiber in his body protested against that conclusion, he knew that it was the hard truth. It stung his male pride to admit that he was dependent on these beautiful girls to fight the battles to come, not the other way around. He was not of the impression that women could not be warriors, in fact he knew different, but he didn't like the fact that he would have no way to back the women that fought for him up, at least not in an honorable way.

_Musubi told me that Sekirei fights was supposed to be one on one, and that she took pride in that code. I guess that means I can't aquire any long-range rifles or anything like that  
_

So lost was he in his thoughts, that he didn't notice where he was heading, nor did he discern the worried glances Musubi kept shooting at him. Unconsciously his feet steered him back to the Inn and first then did he realize how tired he was. Both his physical and mental fatigue hit him like a brick the second he stepped into the room he now lived in. His vision blurred, and he barely made it to his bed before he collapsed. He hadn't realized what toll this day had taken. He had been walking around the city for hours after talking to Matsu, immersed in his own self-doubts and worries.

_You're pathetic, _he told himself with disgust. _When the hell did you get castrated without noticing it? You have been in sticky situations before, and you have always pulled through. Now grow a pair and do what you always do. _

He had been training his body from he was very little, and he had never in his life shrunk back from a fight, so running was out of the question. No, what he needed to do was clear: Keep a low profile, gather information on his enemies' weaknesses and strike only when necessary.

_  
Operation Onryo all over again, _he thought humorlessly. _Except this time it won't be secret operations in the middle of the night. More like girls with superpowers fighting each other in the middle of Tokyo. But in a battle royale, only one battle is unavoidable, and that is the last one._ _I just need to make sure they don't get into more danger than they have to. And dammit to hell I won't be sitting at home while they take all the risks._

With his resolution reignited, he smiled and prepared for the darkness to overtake him. The last sensation he could remember before he slipped away was the feeling of the soft skin of Musubi and Akizu snuggling close to him.

"I'm sorry for acting like I had given up," he murmured. "But don't worry, I will not fail you, nor will I let you come to harm." Then darkness came.

--------------

* * *

_Thank god, he's back to normal_, Musubi thought, and was comforted by his peaceful sleeping face. Over the few days she had known him, Minato had always acted calm and confident in everything he did. His confidence had made her feel safe and self-assured about her own abilities, and she had never felt stronger than when she was at his side.

This day however, she had felt his anguish through their mental bond. He had been up early, and something had obviously shaken him deeply. She had gone looking for him around the Inn, but instead she had been beckoned into a secret room by a Sekirei who was named Matsu. She had explained about her being winged by Minato, and about the things they had discussed.

When Matsu revealed what had unnerved Minato so much, Musubi felt her eyes glazing over sadly. _No wonder he is so upset_. _I hadn't told him before, so it must have come as quite a shock to him. _

After a quick conferring with Matsu, she had set out to find Minato, but she had no luck, and not even Matsu's spy satellites could discern him among all the other people that were also out that afternoon. 

_It also feels like Minato needs to be alone right now. _She didn't know where that realization came from, but she needed to have faith in him, have faith that he would come to a conclusion about what he wanted to do.

_In the end it seems like he refound his determination_, she thought happily and looked down at his sleeping face. _He is so cute when he's sleeping._

She looked curiously over to the silver-haired woman that Minato had introduced as Akizu. She had quite naturally lain down at Minato's other side and smiled contentedly. _Even though I can't feel the same bond with her as I feel with Minato-sama, I can tell that she loves him the same way I do._ _I need to get to know her better._

Suddenly a wave of fatigue washed over her, and she too could feel the darkness threatening to overtake her. "I'm sorry, Akizu-san. Could we talk more tomorrow? Right now I'm really tire…" She trailed off, falling asleep in Minato's arms. She hadn't noticed that Akizu was already asleep.

* * *

----XxoO----

"_**Wow the sky is so clear; I can see white clouds and smell the scent of the wind." The little girl exclaimed with an excited voice. "Nee-chan, this park is so pretty". She was standing in the middle of a clearing in a green forest. She looked around and took in all the sensations she could. Birds were singing in the treetops, and a small kitten was looking at her curiously. She looked so innocent and happy, and her smile was as pure as only a child could make. **_

"_**It's time to go back to the lab now," an unknown woman with a lab coat called. The child looked a little disappointed, but she took the hand of the woman willingly and followed her. **_

"_**Nee-chan, I don't like the lab, I like it much better here in the forest." **_

_**The woman in the white coat looked down on her and said comfortingly: "Soon you will be released and go find your Ashikabi. It will be a person who will think preciously of you, Kusano." **_

_**"Really?" the girl asked hopefully with starry eyes. "Will that person be Kuu's oni-chan?" **_

_**"Yes, definitely," the woman answered. **_

_**Out of nothing a strange duo appeared, a man with ruffled hair and a fancy white suit, and a woman carrying a large scythe. "What are you two doing here?" The woman with the lab coat asked, but instead of answering, the scythe-wielding woman burst at them with incredible speed. The woman in the lab coat barely managed to cover the child's body with her own before she was cut down by the unknown assailant. **_

"_**Nee-chan, nee-chan," the girl pleaded, trying desperately to wake the unconscious woman. Suddenly, her face was grabbed roughly by the enigmatic man and he moved forward as to kiss the shivering child. **_

"_**No," the girl wailed, and pushed him away with desperate strength. The air was filled with the sound of her weeping as she was obscured from vision by thousands of plants growing at an unnatural pace.**_

----XxoO----

* * *

"Stop that!" Minato jerked upright into a sitting position, yelling out half-lucidly. It took him a moment to realize that he was still in his room. Light was shining through the blinds, making him estimate that it was still pretty early in the morning. _Was it all a dream?_

_No way that was just a dream, _he corrected himself angrily. _That must have been some kind of vision or premonition. I have never seen that girl before in my life. _The mental image of the little blonde girl with the emerald-green eyes reappeared in his mind. _She was crying. _The memory of what that fancy-dressed man had tried to do, made his insides churn with anger.

"Minato-sama, what's wrong?" Musubi's soft voice asked him. She was looking at him with her worry clearly shining through her eyes, a look that was mirrored in the eyes of Akizu, who too had been jerked from sleep my Minato's outburst.

Her voice helped soothing his anger, and after taking a few seconds to collect himself, he answered: "I had some kind of vision. There was this little girl in some kind of a park. Then a woman, most likely a Sekirei judging from the large scythe she was wielding, and a man, who I understand now was an Ashikabi, appeared out of nowhere. She attacked the little girl's guardian, and he tried to forcefully kiss her. She started crying and pushed the man away, and that was when I awakened."

Just recalling that scene made Minato's anger come back again, this time a little stronger. He didn't know why he felt so angry, other than the moral outrage at the blatant child-abuse he'd witnessed of course, but this anger seemed a little too potent for just a morally righteous anger.

"Wait a second. That means that that little girl must have been a Sekirei too, and that man tried to forcefully wing her." The realization hit him hard. "Is that even possible?"

He looked questionably over at both Akizu and Musubi. He knew Musubi's answer at once he saw how her eyes glazed over sorrowfully;

"Sadly, yes. Even though a bond between a Sekirei and an Ashikabi is fated, it is still possible to prevent it by forcefully winging the Sekirei. We were never warned about it during the MBI training, but my tuner warned me against it in secret. I was really afraid of that when I walked the streets alone."

She looked over at Minato, who was now visibly struggling to keep his anger in check.

"I can't believe someone actually has the heart to do such a thing. It's almost as bad as rape!" he spoke through gritted teeth.

"I am sorry Master, but not everyone is such a good person as you." Akizu said.

"I know that," Minato snapped back aggravated, before he realized his tone of voice. "I'm sorry Akizu, I didn't mean to lash out my anger at you. I hope you can forgive me. Maybe I've just been too naïve. I certainly know how some humans behave, but I don't know how I should react to this. Should I help her? In that case, how? I don't know where she is."

He hung his head and looked down at the floor, thinking frantically. "Don't worry Minato-sama," Musubi said and put her warm hand on his cheek.

"Your heart will guide you. You and this girl have a connection, and I'm sure fate will bring you together in due time."

Minato stood up, his heart calmed by her reassurances. "Thank you, both of you, for helping me with this. I truly love you both. Now I need to get going to work. And from now on, just call me Minato, that goes for both of you" He leaned forward and kissed them both tenderly, making the room light up.

He then went for the door, leaving two brightfully blushing Sekirei with hearts beating wildly in his wake.

"Ah, you're going out Minato-san?" "I am, Miya-dono. I'm off to work."

"Just wait a second, will you? I've made you a lunchbox." She hurried back to the kitchen, returning shortly after with the aforementioned lunch.

"Thank you so much, this is way too much." "No, don't mention it," Miya waved it off.

"So, what do you actually work as? I must admit I'm curious."

"I work at a Gym/Dojo. During the day, I'm a personal trainer. In the afternoon, I work as a Bujinkan ninjutsu assistant instructor."

"Ninjutsu, you say?" Miya asked with raised eyebrows. "That's certainly an unusual art. I didn't know I had a ninja living at my Inn."

"I'll make sure no assassins sneak in at night, ojou-sama," Minato laughed playfully. "But now I need to go. I'll see you later."

* * *

The day went by slowly for Musubi when Minato was not there. Then she had found the landlady practicing swordplay in the backyard. She had watched for a while, enticed by her smooth movements and obvious skill, before she had come to her senses and asked the landlady to spar with her.

Miya had quickly shown Musubi how superior her power was compared to Musubi's own. She also came with helpful advice on how Musubi could increase her fighting potential.

_What are you, landlady-sama? _Musubi wondered. _No normal human, that's for sure._

After their training session was finished, she could hear Minato's phone ringing somewhere in the house. _Is he home already? _Her heart leaped at the thought of seeing him again.

When she found the source of the noise though, she was disappointed. _Minato must have forgotten his phone at home. Maybe I should bring it to him?_ She quickly decided on that, and was almost out the door, when she saw Akizu lying on the roof, looking bored.

"Hey, Akizu! I'm bringing Minato his phone, you wanna join me?" She too, lighted up at the idea of seeing him again, and soon after they were both flying through the skies towards where he had told that was he working.

* * *

_**Help me!**_

_**I'm scared.**_

Minato jolted back to consciousness. He had been meditating after his self-training, when he once again was shown a vision of the little girl with the green eyes, but this time she was crying for his help. In his vision, she was crying in a desolate forest, looking so alone and afraid that his heart almost broke out of pity.

_I must help her! _He thought before he ran out the door. He didn't even question this decision, his instinct telling him that he needed to hurry.

He emptied his mind, running purely on a hunch towards where the girl was. A news flash caught his attention when he was running past an electronics store.

"A sudden onset of growth in the botanical garden has botanists scratching their heads in confusion. MBI has decided to provide relief and remove the overgrowth."

_The botanical garden. I remember the girl making plants grow at an incredible rate. That must be where she is." _Minato deducted, and altered his course to the fastest route he knew there.

When he arrived at the garden, he quickly found it surrounded by soldiers from MBI's private army. _Heh, should be no problem getting past them. _Using a rock as a distraction, Minato averted the soldiers eyes long enough to sneak into the closed off area. He moved silently through the forest, alert for other soldiers, when he was surprised by a massive explosion near him. He realized that however did this, would soon be coming along the trail he was on. He quickly crouched down, using his black training uniform to blend in with his dark surroundings, and prepared an ambush.

Soon after, a man with a leather jacket came strolling confidently down the trail, not looking around for danger at all._ He must be the Ashikabi, and that means his Sekirei will most likely be close by, but they won't risk anything if I catch him._ Rushing quietly out from cover, Minato soon had him in a choke hold.

"You two behind me, don't move or I'll slit his neck!" He commanded, even though he actually had no knife on him right then. _Seems like I'll need to start carrying concealed weapons again,_ Minato made a mental note.

"Who are you and what is you purpose here?"

Minato hissed venomously into the unknown man's ear. His nose was retching with the man's smell of cigarettes and sweat, but he kept his disgust out of his voice, at least for now.

"Hey now, don't do anything rash," the man said normally, but Minato could the catch the undertone of fear in the man's voice.

"You're an Ashikabi too right? I'm just here to take a peek at the so-called green girl. I won't take her from you."

"What are you talking about?" Minato asked angrily. "How do you know about her?"

"The email from Minaka of course, isn't that why you're here?"

"No," Minato hissed. "I came here because a little girl was pleading for my help, and I knew she is in here somewhere. What did that email say?"

"It said: A cute unwinged Sekirei is in the gardens. First come, first served. You could be the one to wing her."

These words made Minato's anger flare to new height and he tightened the choke hold he had on the man. "And that's why you're here?" he asked menacingly.

"No, no," the man denied frantically. "As I said, I'm just here to watch, and maybe fight if some creep tried to wing her forcefully. I hate that."

Minato stood still for a moment, considering the thrustworthiness of the man, before he let him out of his grip, and said darkly: "Fine, I'll trust your words for now. In that case, maybe you'll help me save her. I suspect these are your Sekirei?" He asked and looked back at the two twins.

"These are familiar faces," He said with a hard voice, remembering how these two had been chasing Musubi when he first met her.

The two twins shrunk back under his dark gaze. "Hey, we're not your enemies any longer. We only attacked that girl because she was an easy target."

Not entirely satisfied with these words, Minato still managed to refocus back to his original objective. For some reason, he felt that time was running short. He pulled into a run towards the heart of the forest, hearing his new ally following pantingly behind.

In a clearing ahead, he could see a woman in a white and black dress standing over a small child, holding a large scythe in her hands. _It's her again; she's come to attack that little girl for a second time._

_Oh damn… _For some reason, the woman raised her scythe angrily to attack. _It's still too far; I can't make it at this speed. I need to go faster! _

To his amazement, his body reacted to his resolution, and he moved at a speed he'd never even thought he could be capable of. The air rushed past his face, but his eyes never left his goal, and he tackled into the surprised woman with a force equal to a juggernaut.

Before she could regain her self-control, he wrestled her into a deadly hold that would have ripped the shoulder out of its sockets on a regular human. She still felt the pain though, and the more she tried to free herself, the more pain she would experience. _I have her now, now I just have to put her to sleep and then this will be all over_, Minato thought fiercely.

"That's good, hold her still like that," two voices called in unison. He looked over his shoulder to see the two twins still standing quite a distance away, clasping their hands together. _What? _Minato thought confused. _Don't tell me that they're planning to… Oh shit!_

A bolt of lightning hit him, causing a great deal of electricity to burn both him and the woman lying under him. It also caused his muscle to spasm, and he lost the control he had over the white-clad Sekirei. She kicked him hard in the gut and got to her feet, looking at him murderously.

He got warily to his feet, glaring at the three Sekirei who stood in front of him. "Stay out of this, you idiots! Three more seconds and she would have been knocked out." He yelled to the twins, seeing them shrinking back from his angry glare.

"I'll give it to you," the scythe-wielding woman laughed coldly. "You're better than the average human, but you're still no match for me, nr. 43 Yomi."

Minato didn't bother to answer, instead dropping into his fighting stance. _If I can only dodge her first slash, I can aim for her vital points and try to knock her out. _Minato planned calmly. The opponent was obviously convinced of her superiority, and that arrogance might turn out to be her downfall. He could see her eyebrow twitch in annoyance at his actions, and he prepared for her assault.

Instead of charging him however, she slashed her scythe through the air in rapid succession. _Oh shit, she not only a close range fighter. She must use some kind of aerial attack too. _He could sense the slashes moving towards him hidden in the wind, but he couldn't move from this spot; the little girl was on the ground behind him, and if he moved, she would take the hit. So instead he spread his arms, acting like a human shield in front of the innocent little girl.

Suddenly, a wall of ice appeared in front of him and shielded him from certain death. He looked up and saw Akizu landing a few feet away from him.

"Thank you, you saved me there," he told her gratefully, and was rewarded with a quick smile from the blonde.

Yomi was so fixated on Akizu's arrival, that she didn't notice Musubi's presence before she was punched strongly in the stomach, sending her flying. When the enemy didn't reappear at once, Musubi relaxed and turned towards Minato.

"Minato, are you okay?" Musubi asked with a worried tone. "You look hurt."

"I'm fine, Musubi. Don't worry about me. Keep your guard up, there's a person with a dark coat lurking in the threes to my right. That person most likely thinks we haven't observed him or her yet. " Musubi eyes widened and she turned around and gave away the tactical advantage they had by shouting out: "Is there anyone there?"

_It seems like I need to give her a crash course in battlefield tactics _Minato groaned inwardly. But her shout seemed to have unnerved the enemy, as he or she fled the scene with superhuman speed. _I wonder why that person felt so familiar? _Minato wondered.

_ And when the hell did those twins and their smelly Ashikabi run off? Cowards, if I ever see them again_, but his thoughts were interrupted when he felt a small hand tugging at his pants curiously

"Are you my oni-chan?" a child's voice asked from behind him. He turned around and got down on one knee, looking into the child's deep green eyes. "We finally meet, I'm Minato. What's your name?" The little girl blushed cutely and answered timidly: "Kuu-Kusano. Will you be my oni-chan?" She managed to ask, before her eyes slumped shut tiredly and she fell forward, asleep before she even landed in his arms.

"It looks like she fell asleep, poor thing. Let's take her back to the Inn." He told Musubi and Akizu.

"Wait, where do you think that you're taking that child?" A hateful voice called from the forest. Soon after Yomi appeared in the clearing, leaning tiredly on her scythe. "I'll make you all pay for that, you scum. I'll wound you mortally and make you watch as I take that crying child back to my master. I'll make you listen to her screams."

She continued to spew out profanities and abuse. In response, Minato put Kuu carefully down in Akizu's arms, straightened himself calmly, and then his anger took over.

* * *

_How is she still standing after taking that punch? _Musubi wondered. _That should have made her body shut down. Guess I'll I have to punch her again then._

She listened to the string of insults and threats the evil woman spewed out. Even though she knew that the Sekirei was not a true danger anymore, she still felt a cold anger building in her stomach at her words.

Her cold anger was rapidly overpowered by a white-hot one resonating through her soul. She looked over at Minato, and quickly understood that he was the source of the flood of anger that was coursing through her now. _There is something else there too, _she thought to herself._ Some stranger power I can't fully understand. I haven't felt anything like this from him before._

Suddenly he disappeared from her vision, and only her battle-instincts allowed her to follow him with her eyes. For the already injured Yomi, he must have vanished for a second, only to reappear at her side a second later. He then delivered a crushing blow to the spot where her neck met her spine, and she was out before she hit the ground.

Musubi could only watch in amazement and horror as Yomi's Sekirei Crest disappeared. _No way, that one blow was enough to finish her off? What did you do Minato-sama?_

She stood there frozen, watching her love standing over his finished enemy. She could see his anger slowly leave his eyes, like poison being drawn out of a wound. They then misted over tiredly, and he fell to the ground lifelessly like a puppet that had gotten its strings cut.

"Minato-sama!" She called out and hurried to his side. To her great relief, she found out that he had only been struck unconscious. _It seems like that power he used took a great deal out of him. I wonder how he managed to call it out. The speed at which he moved seemed to be almost as fast as my own, but a normal human shouldn't be capable of that, so what did really happen here?_

-----

* * *

_Oh god, my body feels like it has been run over by a bulldozer. _Minato thought as he clawed his way back toward consciousness. His whole body ached, and he could barely move a muscle. He noted with a detached interest that he was carried in someone arms, most likely Musubi, if the warmth of her skin was anything to judge by. If he hadn't been so beat up, he would have most likely protested at the undignified way he was being carried, but right now he couldn't even open his mouth to protest.

"Where are we heading?" he managed to croak out after a while. "To the MBI hospital," Musubi replied with a concerned voice. "Maybe they will know what happened to you. You were almost comatose just ten minutes ago."

"No, take me back home, I can tell that we're close now," Minato said quickly, not wanting to have to be at the mercy of the MBI. Musubi opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off by saying: "I am recovering quickly, and I don't want to head into enemy territory right now. Just head back home." She didn't look entirely convinced, but at least she acquiesced.

When they were at the gate of the Inn, Minato told Musubi to put him down; "I don't want to return home like I'm crippled or defeated. A true warrior returns with his shield or upon it." With these words, he limped into the Inn, leaving Musubi staring at him with a puzzled expression.

He was met at the entrance by Miya, who looked at him with a mix of curiosity and worry. "Oh my, Minato-san, what happened to you? And who are these two?" she asked, motioning towards Akizu and the sleeping Kusano in her arms.

_How the hell should I explain this to her? I cannot reveal this Sekirei Plan to anyone not related to it._ He tried desperately to come up with an excuse, but he could feel his vision blurring, causing him to momentarily lose balance and stumble forwards.

"I'm sorry, Miya. If you could please give this girl some food I will explain everything to you **personally** tomorrow. For now, if you can just have trust in me, I will be eternally grateful."

Miya nodded solemnly to his insistent words. "Very well, my inquiry can wait until tomorrow. Go get some rest, Minato."

He barely managed to stumble back to his bed. Even though he was deathly tired, his mind refused to sleep before it could solve the mystery of the so chillingly familiar watcher in the forest. It kept replaying the scene where he saw the dark-clad person watching them from the shadows.

Suddenly the realization hit him. _It can't be, _he thought with disbelief. _If that was him, then that means..._ Like an epiphany, his mind connected all the lose threads that had been bothering him for days. _I see, then everything makes sense in a way. I wonder why she didn't tell me at once. I'll ask her tomorrow._

With that thought, he was out cold.

* * *

**Author's note: Well, another chapter up. Pretty fast too. There might be another chapter before Christmas if I get sufficient motivation, so please review. (That always helps.)**

**I have tried to set up a back story for Minato, and it involves the army (in case nobody noticed) In my story, Minato is 21 years old, sorry for not including this before. For those who wondered Onryo means Revengeful Ghost, and that mission might be important in the following chapters. **

**If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to send me a PM, and I'll be happy to discuss with you**


	5. The Reason They Fight

**The Reason They Fight**

* * *

Moonlight shone through the not thoroughly blinded windows, allowing him to make out the outline of his dark room. He slept alone, but he could feel that he was not alone in the room, and as soon as his eyes had gotten used to the darkness, he could see the familiar forms of Musubi, Akizu and Matsu lying huddled around his bed, all fast asleep.

_How long was I out?_ Minato wondered, and after a quick check at his watch, he realized that he had been almost comatose for 28 hours, as the clock showed that it was well after midnight.

He tested his limbs, finding that he once again had full control of his body, and he actually felt thoroughly rested. He got silently out of bed, not wanting to wake the sleeping beauties.

He stepped lightly through the sleeping inn, ending up in front of the garden; where he sat down to meditate.

--XxoO--

"Here I thought it was a thief sneaking through my inn, but it seems like it was only you, Minato-san," the voice of Miya called unexpectedly from behind his back, making him jolt out of his calm state.

_How did she manage not only hear me, but also to sneak up on me like that? _Minato thought warily. _If I didn't suspect her of being more than just a regular landlady before, I certainly do now._

Instead of voicing his suspicion out loud, he replied cheerfully: "Ah, landlady, what are you doing up so late at night? I apologize if you got up beacause of me. I just woke up, and I didn't need any more sleep."

"How long were you out? At least 24 hours? Musubi, Matsu and that new tenant Akizu has been very worried over your condition. "Miya started, then adding with a cheeky and dramatic tone: "Who are these girls anyways, don't tell me that you're their pimp? You certainly seem like a dangerous guy, Minato-san."

Minato felt his neck redden, not because of the landlady's barb, but from thinking of how his life would seem like to an outsider; Indeed he would seem a little like a pimp.

He fought the blush back and replied in a serious tone: "Let's cut the charade, they're Sekirei, and I'm certain that you are fully aware of what that means. I promised you an explanation of what happened yesterday, but after that I would like to know your role in this so-called 'game'."

Her eyes widened a little in response, but other than that, she gave no outward indications of being surprised by his sincerity, and he knew that the answer he had come up with after his epiphany was right, she knew more than she let on.

"Very well Minato-san, I'm impressed by your perception. I've waited for you to tell me what happened two days ago, though some I have already deducted."

And so Minato told her everything that had happened that day, starting with his nightly vision, to their fight with Yomi. She listened to him in silence, letting him finish before she asked anything.

"This power boost you got so suddenly, do you know what caused it?

"No, I don't, but I don't think it was an outside source. It seemed like it surged in response to my emotions, but it appeared out of nowhere. It was certainly unlike anything I have ever experienced before"

Miya went silent for a time while she seemed to think through his words. After a few minutes she said silently: "My husband would have been very excited by your condition, seeing as this must be one of the "powers" that he predicted would surface in some of the Ashikabis."

"Your husband you say, that must be the MBI scientist Asama Takehito, am I right? Is he still alive?"

Miya's eyes widened a little. "I'm surprised you know that name, but to answer your question: Yes, he was my husband, but he died a few years ago."

"I'm sorry for your loss." He had already known that, having done a background check on his landlady the same day he moved in. He couldn't put his finger on it then, but he knew that there had been something strange about this violet haired woman.

A silence fell after Minato had given his condolences. He allowed it to stretch for over a minute while he considered his next words carefully. He needed information from her. He had asked Matsu if she could look into Miya's background for him two days ago, but on his request Matsu had looked fearful, and told him that she didn't want to divulge any of Miya's secrets without her permission. This had in turn only made Minato more curious over the identity of the enigmatic landlady

And sometimes a direct approach is the best solution: "Miya-dono, I'll ask you once again; what is your role in this "Sekirei Plan", and what do you know about it? I've already figured out that at least Kagari, and most likely Uzume too, is a Sekirei. I doubt it is a coincidence that three Sekirei live in the house of the wife of a former MBI scientist."

Her dark eyes bore into his, and somehow it felt those eyes were looking into his soul and evaluating him, judging whether he was worthy to be given that information. He fought the urge to wince, and instead kept the eye contact

He couldn't help notice both the beauty and the power that lay in those eyes. She was the very definition of a deadly goddess, and he had no doubt that she possessed a great hidden power. She didn't give off the special sensation he now recognized as a Sekirei's, but he instinctively knew that she wasn't a normal human either. She was as enigmatic as she was beautiful.

"Very well Minato-san, I will tell you a great deal about this whole situation, but not everything. Some things are best kept secret."

* * *

-----XxoO-----

She woke up when the first of the morning sun's rays hit her face, and she instinctively sought out the warmth that was the love of her life. When she turned over, she found an arm and brought it up to her face and let the cold hand stroke her cheek.

_Wait a second, cold? _

She opened her eyes and found out that the arm didn't belong to Minato, but rather to the still sleeping form of Akizu.

For a second she felt a little alarmed, but she quickly calmed down and told herself that he had most likely woken up without her noticing. He had slept for more than 24 hours after all. She had been anxious when he didn't wake up a first, but the landlady had assured her that he only needed to rest.

She got dressed quietly and went out in search of Minato. She found him sitting cross-legged in the garden, almost looking like he was sleeping. _Judging from his furrowed brow, I would rather say that he is thinking intensely._

Musubi could feel her heart speeding up a little just by seeing his face, and a warm feeling spread through her stomach. He looked so beautiful where he sat, that she could only stop and stare at him.

"Is that you Musubi? How are you feeling?" He called out and slowly opened his eyes, bringing her out of her reverie and bringing a slight blush to her face. He beckoned her closer and she went happily into his warm embrace.

"I'm feeling very happy now that I know that you're well again Minato." She smiled and felt tears brimming up her eyes.

" I was a little scared when you slept like you were dead, and it wasn't until you got color back in your face that I was able to sleep." More tears were welling up now, and she buried her face in his chest.

"It's alright Musubi, I'm fine now." He said comfortingly, stroking his hand through her hair, making happy shivers run down her spine. "Please don't cry, it's breaking my heart."

His soothing voice dried up her tears and she looked into his warm eyes. "I won't, Minato. I'm glad that you're okay." She said happily, burying her face in his chest once more, drawing comfort from the warmth she found there, and the husky smell that she instictively knew belonged to him. She could hear his heart beating fast in his chest, and she could sigh contented as she lay in his arms, wishing that this moment could last forever.

"So what were you doing so early?" she asked after a long stretch of comfortable silence.

"Ah, I couldn't sleep anymore so I stood up. I met the landlady, and we had a long conversation. She told me quite a few things related to the Sekirei Plan," he said with a distanced air, before adding darkly:

"Some of which I wished she had kept secret."

Musubi looked up at him curiously, noting how secretive he was. Not understanding why, she innocently asked: "Like what?"

"Give me some time to ponder her words, and I will reveal them to you all, but for now, what I will tell you are this: Both Kagari and Uzume are Sekirei like you, but I don't know whether or not they have an Ashikabi. Miya has forbidden any violence in this Inn, but I would still like you to be a little cautious for the time being. I'm not telling you to be constantly on guard or regarding them as enemies, on the contrary I would like them become allies in the future, but for the time being their allegiance is unknown."

Musubi's eyes went wide at his revelation. "Really, both of them are Sekirei?" she asked surprised.

"You couldn't tell anything different about them?" Minato asked incredulously. "I thought that you would have noticed something off faster than me."

Musubi reddened and admitted embarrassedly: "I guess I'm not very observant about such things. Did you say that we were not supposed to fight them?" she then added disbelievingly.

"Yes, is that so strange to you? Why do you want to fight so much?"

The question took her by surprise, but she answered instinctively: "I am a Sekirei. We are born to fight each other, to be the last one standing. We do this to be able to be with our Ashikabi." She then added in a much softer tone: "I do this to be able to be with you, Minato."

"That is not a valid reason, that is just what you have been told." Minato said callously.

She looked up at him with a hurt gaze. "You don't believe me when I say that I fight for you?" Just saying these words made her mouth feel like it was filled with bricks.

"That is not what I am trying to tell you," he said quickly. "What I am trying to say is that you are here with me now, you've already found your Ashikabi. So why should you keep on fighting?"

She opened her mouth, but her words abandoned her, making her speechless.

"Don't you see that the reason why you fight is simply because you have been told so? You are instructed to fight against your own kin to be able to stay with your love, and told that there is no middle ground. Instead you could just have been released into this world in the pursuit of your own happiness. If this game hadn't been thought up, all the Sekirei could have found their true Ashikabi, but instead many of them have been and will be winged against their will."

Minato's passionate words shook her deeply to the core as she realized the truth in his words. _But then again._

"You're both right and wrong, Minato. We could have been released to live normal human lives, but we are not human. We are gifted with powers way beyond that of any human, and it's in our instincts to fight. Eventually we would have wound up fighting each other."

She looked Minato in the eyes when she said this, and saw how the fire in his eyes cooled down, and went back to their normal calm state.

"I can understand your reasoning, but there is a fault in it. You just said that you fight for me, your Ashikabi. What would you have fought for if not for me? Why would you want to become stronger then?"

She struggled to find an answer, but she found none.

"So what will you do?" she asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I honestly don't know yet Musubi," he said exasperatedly. "My mind is crying out at this injustice, but my rational side knows that I can't just run into this heedlessly. I'll find a way to stop this as soon as possible."

"I know you will, Minato. And I will be there to help you."

"I know Musubi," he said tenderly and pulled her into a close embrace. "It seems my life has drastically changed after meeting you, but I don't regret one second of it."

The close contact with his warm skin brought back memories of their passionate evening together, and she could feel her body heating up in response. Her skin was tingling, longing for his touch. The places where his fingers touched burned like they were on fire, but yet all of her body wished for this fire to brand her.

A low chuckle from him sent shivers down her spine. "What are you imagining, Musubi? Judging from your sudden rise in body heat I would say it's something exciting"

His question set her blood on fire, both from embarrassment and arousement. She didn't say a word at first, because she knew she wouldn't be able to form any coherent words. But when he dug his fingers into her back, massaging her shoulders and spine, she couldn't help letting a moan escape her lips

"Minato-sama," she gasped, as she realized there was no point hiding her arousal anymore. Her mind was filling with memories of her first time with him, how it had felt having him moving in her, the smell of their bodily scents combined. Just the memories made her womanhood tremble forcefully, and she could feel herself becoming wetter and wetter.

She wanted him so badly at the moment that she contemplated ripping of his clothes and taking him right there, so close was she to losing control of her senses.

She cried out in surprise as his finger traced against the soft material of her panties, making pleasurable shivers shoot through her entire body, but he silenced her by putting a finger over her mouth and smiling secretly. She understood his silent command, and bit her lip when his finger starting stroking her most sensitive areas.

She could only lie still in his embrace as his fingers caressed her body, tickling her sides, stroking her breasts. The coil inside her were tightening more and more for each time he touched her most pleasurable spot, and she could feel herself being dragged closer and closer to the abyss.

When he softly slipped to fingers inside her, a soft moan escaped her lips, and she could feel herself breathing heavier and heavier. She couldn't lay still any longer, and she grabbed his head and dragged him forcefully down, pressing his lips against hers.

Even though they were kissing passionately, his fingers continued to massage her on the inside. As he pulled his fingers out and started molding her clitoris with his wet finger, she couldn't help breaking apart from his lips and gasp for air. Instead he moved his lips down to her cleavage, carefully exposing her breasts from her clothing by only using his mouth. She couldn't hold in small whimper that broke her lips when his warm mouth closed over one of her erect nipples, all the while his free hand was massaging her other breast.

He was quite literally overloading her body with sensory input, as he obviously had made it his mission to pleasure every part of her body. His hand felt like they were everywhere and nowhere at the same time, and his soft lips kissed every inch of exposed skin they could find.

Her body was at its breaking point by now, and she longed desperately for the incredible release that was about to happen. She barely registered the soft kisses he was planting at the cape of her neck, nor how he was slowly ascending towards her jaw.

Her control broke the second his mouth reached hers, and the familiar warmth that followed his kisses was soon replaced by the crushing waves of her orgasm. It coursed through her like fire, alighting every nerve with pure pleasure overload. With his lips covering hers, all the sound that came from her was a slight gasp, before she recaptured his lips hungrily.

When the waves pleasure were residing, she slumped in his arms, breathing heavily. The release had reminded her body how little sleep she had had the last days, and within seconds she was nuzzling close to him, fast asleep.

* * *

---

Minato looked down at his sleeping beauty with a loving smile on his face. She looked angelic where she lay sleeping on his chest, her almond colored hair spilling unbound down her back and he could feel his heart swelling just by looking at her.

He was perfectly content where he sat watching the sunrise.

After maybe an hour he could hear a light patter in the hall behind him. He turned around and saw a timid Kusano watching him from behind a corner. Minato gave her a smile and beckoned her closer.

She hesitated for a second, before she shyly moved over and sat down next to him. She looked like she wanted to say something, but couldn't muster up the courage to do so, so he decided to break the ice.

"I saw you in my dream, but that was not under happy conditions. So how are you feeling?" he asked concernedly. _After all, she was almost forcefully winged by that slimebag. _He left those concerns out though, not wanting the girl to remember about that situation.

"I was crying all alone, but I was comforted by knowing that my oni-chan was close. Only when you turned up I realized I was safe. Now I feel very secure and happy, having finally met you." The child said with her innocent voice.

Minato was amazed by the pure trust the child placed in him, awakening the protective instinct in him. He was reminded of his sister Yukari, who always got into trouble when she was younger, due to her temperament and big mouth. Time after time he had to save her from bullies, at least until she was old enough to fend off for herself. _I wonder where she is now, I haven't heard from her in a while._

"Oni-chan," Kusano's voice called for him. "Please become my Ashikabi."

Before he had even time to react, the little girl reached up and put her lips lightly to his. As the wings on her back appeared, the garden exploded in a firework of green. All the plants bloomed at once, and a magnificent scent filled the garden. Minato could only look around in wonder at the strange event.

* * *

--

Musubi was woken by the explosion of heavenly scents, and her eyes went wide when she took in the blossoming garden. For a second she wondered what had caused this event, but then she noticed the blushing Kusano and recognized the happy smile she wore, and realized at once what had happened. Her chest filled with pride and love when she thought of the strength of her Ashikabi.

She looked up at her love, and saw that he too was blushing slightly as he told Kusano to sit down next to him. The girl did so timidly, but when they didn't start talking, Musubi dozed off happily again in Minato's lap.

"Musubi, wake up" Minato called softly, and stroked her hair. Musubi woke with a happy sigh.

"Is it time for breakfast? I'm really hungry."

"Not yet, first I need to talk to Kagari. You can join Kuu later."

"What do you need to talk with him about?"

"I think it would be a good idea for you to come with me, so you'll find out for yourself."

Musubi rose and followed puzzled behind Minato.

---XxoO--

"Mornin' Kagari, I'm going to be real forward here; what's your number?" Minato asked in a friendly manner.

Kagari looked around with a quizzical look on his face. "I thought I had already given you my telephone number, I did it the day we first met remember?"

_I had to put off my breakfast to get a telephone number? _Musubi thought exasperatedly. _That sure is mean, Minato._

"No, what I meant was: what is your Sekirei number?" Minato continued with the same friendly and matter-of-factly tone.

_Ah, he wanted his Sekirei number, _Musubi thought with relief. _Wait a second, say what? _Musubi's mouth fell open from surprise, an expression mirrored on the face of Kagari, while Minato stood there calmly, waiting for his answer.

Kagari recovered from the shock quickly, and a second later a fireball had appeared in his hand, ready to be thrown at Minato, and it was then Musubi understood why Minato had wanted her along. She dropped into her fighting stance and readied herself to attack.

"There will be no need Musubi," Minato said peacefully, holding up his hand to stop her. "Kagari knows as well as me that violence is not allowed in this Inn." His words were said with a calm tone, but it carried a strong insistence that reminded her of the landlady, and how strictly she enforced the rules of Izumo Inn.

Apparently Kagari did this too, as he sat down and said apologetically: "Should have known that you would figure it out. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but I wasn't sure if you truly had become a part of this crazy scheme."

"No need to apologize. I'm not sure if I had believed if you had told me a few weeks ago. But right now I need all the information I can get. I've already gotten quite a lot of intel from Miya, so right now I only need to know your standing. What is your number, do you have an Ashikabi, and most importantly; should I call you a friend or an enemy?" Minato said, and Musubi noted how his eyes hardened at the last question.

_This isn't like him. The Minato I know is a kind and loving man, but when it comes to conflict situations, he changes into this emotionless warrior. He shouldn't have to become like this._

"The first two questions are answered easily enough: I am Sekirei number 6, Homura. I don't have an Ashikabi, nor do I desire one," Kagari started, drawing Musubi away from her worries.

"On the question of my alignment, that is a more complex answer. This Inn is a non-combat area, so in here we are at least neutral."

"And outside?" Minato asked with repressed tension.

"Outside this inn I act as the defender of Sekirei. I defend those who have yet to find their Ashikabi from other Sekirei or worse; those Ashikabi that act like scum, and I will attack anyone who threatens them."

"I see, then our positions are the same." Minato said cheerfully, and the tension that had been building up vanished at once. "I have seen some of the bad sides of this "glorious" Sekirei plan, and it really disgusts me. If I am forced to fight in this scheme, then I want to fight for something I can take pride in. I suggest that we join forces, it is always best ally with those with similar cause."

Both Musubi and Kagari looked at Minato with surprise. _I thought Minato said that we would avoid all unnecessary fighting, but now he wants to get out into the open. I wonder what made him change his mind so quickly._

"Of course I accept your offer Minato," Kagari said gratefully. "It has been difficult to fight all alone."

" It's settled then. I will gather everyone later and explain the situation to them. Then I'll know who's with me, and I'll inform you on our strategy later," Minato said and shook hands with the man now exposed as Sekirei number six, Homura.

As they turned to leave and started walking away, the meaning of Minato's last sentence started to dawn on Musubi. She pondered his words for a few second, before she asked hesitantly: "Minato-sama, when you said earlier that you would have to ask everyone, don't you think that is unnecessary?" After all, we are your Sekirei, and you only have to command us to fight, and we will fight for you."

At these words Minato stopped so suddenly in midstride, that Musubi walked straight into him, almost knocking them both over. She was about to stutter an apology, when Minato put his hand to her chin and looked her directly into her eyes with a poignant stare, effectively killing the words in her throat.

"Musubi, I don't think of you or any of the others as some female alien soldiers here to do my bidding, I never have. We've certainly met under the strangest situations, my life has become anything other than normal, but I still regard you all as individuals whom I love very much and would do anything for." His voice was so full of emotion and spoke directly to her soul, but it was his eyes that told her even more than his words ever could.

"Shit, maybe I'm completely wrong, but I don't believe that. I know that you're not technically human, but how do you define to be human? To think, to feel, to cry and to love? What part of being human are you missing? Nothing that I can think of." His voice had fallen into an insistent whispering now, but every word resonated through her soul like he was shouting them in her ear.

"Maybe I'm phrasing this the wrong way, but I'm trying to understand you, trying to understand myself as well. Tell me, am I making any sense at all?"

"Yes, "she whispered hoarsely, not trusting her voice to hold. "I understand you very well now, Minato. I'm really happy to know you feel about us, how you feel about me. I should have known all along, but I didn't dare to. Fighting is all I've been told to expect to experience, but I've always hoped for love. I guess it is always difficult to fathom when you've been given everything you ever hoped for."

She smiled through misty eyes, and was rewarded by a face splitting grin from him, which never failed to warm her insides.

"But I don't think you need to worry about Sekirei, Minato. I'm certain that nobody of us feel that you are forcing us to fight for you. I don't really think you have to convince or beg anybody.

* * *

--

_Musubi had been right of course. I wouldn't have guessed that it would be that easy to persuade all of them to help me. What I had intended to be a recruiting meeting, turned into a strategy planning session instead. Even little Kuu was all fired up and ready to fight, even though I'm pretty certain she dislikes people fighting each other. I guess I could have saved some time if I had just planned the strategy by myself, but it still feel good to have done it. After all, what we are fighting to protect is the freedom of the Sekirei._

These thoughts were running through Minato's head he was coming back from work the same afternoon. They had planned out a strategy for the battles that were sure to come, but they had decided to postpone it for a few days so that they could train some more. Kagari had agreed, but urged them not to wait too long, as it was in the first two stages of the Sekirei plan that their main commitment lay.

After they had finished planning, Minato had headed for the dojo where he worked, not only because he felt he needed to take his mind off certain things, but also because he had a secret weapon stash there, one he had never thought he would use before today.

_Makes me wonder why the hell I kept it hidden there for so long,_ he thought. _But of course I know the reason, _he continued darkly. _I was going crazy when I came back from Iraq, seeing enemies in every corner, smelling blood every time I closed my eyes. If it wasn't for Jiro convincing me to get rid of all the weapons, I might have killed some fellow unfortunate _to_ catch me in my paranoid state._

Deciding to banish these dark memories, he instead chose to focus on the present. _Maybe I should make some time alone with Akizu, I haven't had much time with her at all. I hope she doesn't feel forgotten. _

When he entered through the gate of the inn he froze in place. The air felt wrong, almost like a stale stench, one he didn't recognize. He stood there for a few seconds, sniffing the air, trying to figure out where this strange sensation emitted from, before he leapt into action.

He loosened the knife he had hidden in his sleeve; ready to draw it at a moment's notice, as he walked slowly through the inn, keeping close to the walls.

There was no rational explanation to why he was acting this way; he just felt an "itch", one he hadn't felt since his days as a soldier, and it always acted up when danger was close.

He could feel himself getting closer to the source that caused this feeling of disturbance, and he could feel his body tensing up.

Suddenly the door in front of him opened, and a tall woman with steel grey hair walked out right in front of him, maybe just two meters in front of him. He was just about to draw his knife when he heard an innocent laugh come from the room she had just exited, one he knew very well.

"You looked so funny Karasuba-sama, I couldn't help but laugh. I'm so sorry though."

Hearing Musubi's happy voice, Minato allowed himself to ease up a bit. _Maybe I was wrong, Musubi obviously know her from before. _

"So you must be Musubi's ashikabi," the woman said with a friendly tone, but her voice still made all of Minato's hairs to hackle.

"Yes, that is Minato," Musubi said as he didn't manage to form a response. "Minato, this is Karasuba, a friend of mine."

She looked at Minato with a curious expression. "You look a little tensed, I will go get all of us some tea," She said in the still cheerful tone and went down to the kitchen, leaving Minato alone with the mysterious woman.

"I can see you have strong instincts human, but that don't impress me much," she said amusedly, but her smile never reached her eyes. When Minato looked into them, he felt like was staring into a dark emptiness, completely devoid of any compassion or humanity.

For a second he felt himself paralyzed with fear, but then he caught a hold of himself.

"What is your business here?" he asked in an emotionless tone, intent on appearing neither weak nor threatening in front of this woman, which he instinctively knew would be a fatal mistake.

"I'm only here to visit Musubi, that's all. I didn't even come armed."

Minato did a quick scan of her with his eyes, and chose to believe her statement. He considered his next words carefully; he could either go for a subtle threat or he could make a cajoling statement, but he rejected both options, knowing they would only make him sound pitiful.

"I see, then your purpose today is a non-violent one," he said impassively, taking the middle road between hostility and cheerfulness. "I guess I can ease up a little then."

"I like your guts, human. You indeed seem to be the strongest Ashikabi I have met to date." She said unexpectedly, throwing him off guard for a second.

"But don't let it go to your head, all the others I have met were sniveling cowards, begging for mercy," she added expressionlessly, staring him straight in the eye, wordlessly trying to make him beg as well.

He stared adamantly back, refusing to avert his eyes from her dark and soulless ones.

Their staredown was interrupted by Musubi who cheerfully announced that she had brought tea.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked confusedly, undoubtedly feeling the tense atmosphere.

"Ah, nothing's wrong, Mu-chan. We were only having a friendly conversation," Karasuba said in a cheery voice, so different from the cold and threatening one she had displayed just moments ago.

"But I'm afraid I must refuse your offer of tea, I have urgent business to take care of," she continued in the same fake jovial tone as before. "Remember our promise until we meet again in the end."

With these ominous words, she went past him to leave, and Minato could swear that he saw a wicked grin on her face as she did so.

--XxoO--

_To think I would one day stand face to face with death itself,_ Minato thought as raw fear coursed through his veins. He had managed to stay composed the whole time during their conversation, but now that she was gone, he allowed himself five seconds of pure, unrestrained terror.

_One, two, three, four, five_

He counted those seconds carefully, before he calmed himself with a few deep breaths.

"Minato, are you sure nothing's wrong?" he heard Musubi call with a worried tone. She obviously had felt his terror through their bond.

"I'm fine now Musubi," he said calmly as he turned to face her. "I was just not prepared to meet that person, that's all."

"I know what you mean," Musubi said while a sad look crossed her features. "I need to tell you, my Ashikabi, of the promise between me and Karasuba."

"Very well then, tell me," Minato said as he took her hands in his, not wanting to her look so unhappy.

"I love you Minato," she said with a warm smile as she clasped his hand tightly. "Just being with you makes my heart beat furiously, and a wonderful feeling spreads through me. Can you feel how hard it is beating?"

She put his hand to her chest, letting him feel her heartbeat, which ran at pace which similarly mirrored his own. "Yes, Musubi. I can definitely feel it," he said tenderly, while he looked into her hazel eyes.

"I want everyone to be able to feel this glorious sensation. The feeling of loving someone so much, and how that feeling makes you stronger, makes you do things you thought impossible."

Her eyes, which to now had radiated happiness, suddenly took on a much sadder look as she continued: "But Karasuba doesn't believe in this feeling. So she challenged me to become stronger, and to promise her that we two would be the last two standing, at that we would fight on that day. That way, I intend to show her that love conquers all, and then I will release all the Sekirei whose wings are broken, once again into the sky so that they can find true happiness. That is my ambition. Maybe it's too big." The last words were added with after a second of consideration.

"I don't think so, Musubi. I believe in you. I believe you can do anything you set your mind to, and I will help you, in every way I can, just like you promised to help me" he said, and was rewarded with the biggest and most beautiful smile he had ever seen Musubi make. Just watching that smile made his insides churn with heat, and he felt like he would give anything to be able to see that smile again.

"Thank you Minato," she uttered with rosy cheeks. "I truly find my strength in you."

At those words, he couldn't contain himself any longer. He drew her into a passionate kiss that seemed to last for ages. He closed his eyes and reveled in the feel of her soft lips, and how they parted to allow him to slide his tongue into her.

As she tilted her head to allow him better access, she let her hand wound eagerly through his unruly hair and a pleased hum escape her throat.

He was distracted when a badly concealed snickering was heard from the concealed trapdoor at the end of the hallway. He opened one eye and could see the glint from Matsu's glasses as she obviously spied on them.

Musubi whined when their lips broke apart, and instinctively tried to recapture his lips, but he leaned forward and whispered in her ear: "We can continue later, right now it seems like Matsu has something to say."

* * *

-

Musubi spun around to see that Matsu was indeed beckoning them into her secret hideout. At that moment she didn't really care what she had to say, so engrossed was she by what had just happened.

Her body felt warm all over, and she felt like she was floating in hot, soapy water. When he had let his tongue slide into her, she had felt like her legs had turned to goo and she had almost swooned.

She was also truly happy in how he had not only believed in her ambition, but also promised to help her realize it. It was almost too good to be true

"We, the MBI have now occupied Tokyo. A new age of gods is about to begin." The voice of the Professor drew her out of her reverie, and she turned her attention to the TV-screen.

"There's no reason for people to worry though, everyone but a few selected individuals are free to leave as they wish. The capital will from now on be the main stage of a festival for the gods, and it might very well turn into something close to a battleground. That will be all." And so the screen went black.

For a minute they all stood frozen, staring at the empty screen until Kagari came bursting through the door, dressed in a black coat with cover in front of his mouth. Akizu followed shortly thereafter.

"Did you see the newscast Minato?" he asked with a clearly disgusted tone. "It seems Minaka has decided to move this "game" into the second stage. That means that more than half of all the Sekirei have been winged already. I know you said you wanted a few days to prepare, but I hope you will reconsider. I will be heading out as soon as possible"

Musubi looked over at Minato, to see what he decided. She could sense that he had trouble making a choice at first, but it didn't take him long to set his resolve.

"I think you're right, Kagari. I think we definitely need to be on watch tonight. I'll come with you."

Kagari shoulders slumped, like a great weight had suddenly been lifted off them. "Thanks, man. You have no idea how important your involvement might turn out to be."

As Minato turned to face her, Akizu and Matsu, Musubi could see how his character had changed. He was no longer smiling, but he hadn't settled into his emotionless battle mask either. He simply looked tense and ready for action.

"So, girls," he said grimly. "Are you ready to battle?"

--

--

**Authors Note:**

**Finally I'm finished with this chapter. I know it has taken its sweet time, but I've had my exams and I've been on vacation. I had intended to write a lot, but instead I fell asleep in the hot sun. (Now I'm pretty sunburned.)**

**But let us focus on the positive, the chapter is finally here. I guess this chapter was more of a buildup for the later story, sprinkled with some romantic moments and a small lemon.**

**Some of the parts I am pretty proud of, some of them not so much. If you have any thoughts and suggestions or feel like I have left something important out, feel free to PM me. I'll answer to the best of my ability.**

**And as always, please review. The reviews of SilverHyourinmaru and FenrirCrinos gave me the motivation I needed to at least write something down during my vacation, and some more reviews will surely help me write faster.**

**-**

**The next chapter will be a temporary one, where I will put up a vote for how the story shall continue. Please read on for a full description.**


	6. The Water Sekirei

**The Water Sekirei**

-

**A/N: The next chapter is already up. A big thanks to everyone who voted or told me their opinion on how they wanted the story to go on. It seemed like the general consensus was that I should keep the original characters. After all, I can understand this, as these are the characters one know and like from the manga. Therefore I will listen to my audience, and I suppose people understand who will be introduced in this chapter once they read the chapter title. But there might be a compromise, as I most likely will find a way to introduce my OC nevertheless, but she might not play that big a role yet. Maybe you'll spot her already in this chapter? I hope you will enjoy the eight chapter of For Now And Forever**

**-**

**-  
**

A cold wind were blowing through the capital, lowering the temperature considerably. The sun had just set, so Minato had to close his jacket to keep out the cold. After the unexpected broadcast from the Director of MBI, everyone had scrambled into action, and Minato was glad that they had already planned out a strategy beforehand.

The plan was that they should all split up, and cover different parts of the surrounding area. Seeing as they were so few people, only four groups on foot, they had decided to watch over only a certain sector of the capital; the northern part in a radius of about 3 km around the Isumo Inn.

_If I only had taken some time to buy some military grade communication equipment, we wouldn't have to rely on cell phones to keep contact_, Minato thought as he walked the streets with Kusano, who had insisted on going with them. He had tried to persuade her from doing so, telling her how dangerous it might be, but the little girl had begged him and said that she would guard her oni-chan no matter what.

_Damn, after looking into her pleading eyes I couldn't say no. The girl looked so worried and those doe-like eyes stripped me of all my objections. That girl will have no trouble controlling me in the future, that's for certain._

He looked down at her warmly, and she turned those emerald green eyes towards him and gave him a dazzling smile, almost like she knew what had been running through his mind a second ago.

Suddenly the phone started ringing, making them both jump.

"Mina-tan, you don't have time to be standing around," the voice of Matsu said as soon as he opened the phone. "Both Musubi and Akizu are moving around, but they have yet to meet any opposition. I don't see Kagari right now, as he is pretty difficult to spot with his black coat, but he was fine just minutes ago, besides I know exactly where he is thanks to the GPS markers you gave everybody."

"Ok, thanks for the update Matsu. Anything else?"

"No, but wait. Look up Minato, something's coming from abov…"

Minato was unable to hear anything after this, as something soft and heavy hit him in the head. He was instantly alert for danger, but he soon realized that the strange missile was only a cat that had jumped from one of the ledges.

"Good work, man," a familiar voice called from an alley behind him. "Don't let that cat run away again."

Minato turned around and saw the man he silently referred to as the Trash Ashikabi, who he remembered had introduced himself as Kaoru Seo. He didn't trust the man, seeing him as a man without true convictions; he had said he detested forced winging, but had disappeared at the first sign of trouble.

"Why the hell are you chasing a cat?" Minato asked irately, as the cat in his arms started hissing and scratching him when Seo came closer.

"I'm working," the answer came simply.

"I see. So there is no other reason you are out this evening?" Minato asked, not really sure he believed this unkempt and strange man.

"What, you don't believe in my word?" Seo gave a wide grin as he said this, obviously trying to seem like an honest man.

"No," Minato stated harshly. "But I don't think of you as an enemy. So as long as you do not commit any sins where I can find you, we will not become enemies either. You are simply a person I don't intend to fight."

"Or we could become allies," Seo started eagerly, before continuing more defensively when he noticed Minato's disapproving expression. "Hey man, why are you so negative? Have I done something to piss you off or something?"

Minato glared at the man for a second, not sure if he wanted to explain himself to this person. He smelled, he didn't have a job, and he seemed generally like am untrustworthy guy. Only the last one was a logical reason against an alliance, Minato realized, so he forced himself to lessen his prejudice against the man and answer him.

"I'm not sure whether or not I can trust you, and therefore I will not even consider you an ally before I do. I have no true idea to why you would want to fight with me, nor do I know why you have chosen to fight in the first place. You do not seem like the person to come for me for protection because you have no intention to fight, but you don't seem like you have taken any specific stand in this game either. Therein lie most of the reason I don't trust you; I fight to help those who need it, but your Sekirei seem to attack those who are not yet winged."

Minato stated all this neutrally, not giving away anything about what he might be feeling inside. "So I ask you now Kaoru Seo: Why do you so suddenly desire an alliance? Is it because you think we share common goals and you wish to fight with me, or are you just unwilling to fight anymore? Only if it is one of those two reasons will I consider your proposal."

Seo looked at him with a stunned expression for a few seconds, clearly at loss for something to say. Then his expression hardened, and he turned around and said ominously as he walked away:

"You may think you have taken the moral high ground by declaring yourself a guardian and protector. But you will realize that in the end, everyone fights for themselves. The one who sticks out his neck for others will be the one who is beheaded first, and he might find that the role as a hero is a grim and unrewarded one. I fight only for myself and my lovelies, and I take almost every opportunity I get to stay alive. I suggest you start doing the same."

Minato stared at the back of the man until he disappeared around a corner; mentally considering the dark words of advice he had just been given. As much as he wanted to deny it, there was a more than just a grain of truth in them.

_But what choice is there? I am not that naïve that I expect this be an easy and fulfilling situation, but am I really willing to risk everything for the sake of others? I must remember that it isn't only my life I am risking here, but also the life of four people I love, all trusting my decision. Am I arrogant when I place my ideals in front their safety?_

"Oni-chan, is there something wrong?"

He looked down at the blond girl who were looking at him with a concerned look on her normally so happy face.

"I'm fine Kuu," he said comfortingly. "I just stopped to think over why I chose to fight, that's all"

He didn't really expect Kusano to understand what he was talking about, so he was surprised when she responded to him with the most serious, yet still so childlike tone he had ever heard her speak with.

"Because we want to help all of those who are crying. Before you found me, I felt so scared and alone. I didn't dare to move from my hiding space, in case that bad man came for me again. That's why I was so glad when you finally found me. That's why I was so glad when you said that you would help everyone who is crying like I was."

_She's right, Minato thought with resolution. I decided to not stand by idly while atrocities were committed, I could not turn away while excusing myself that I did not have the power to change anything. After all, all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men stand by and do nothing. _

"You're right Kuu," he said while crouching down, smiling as he looked into her green eyes. "You are completely right, I just forgot for a second. Thank you so much for reminding me."

The little girl blushed, before she hugged him and said timidly: "You're welcome, Oni-chan."

-

--XxoO--

_-_

_It seems like it is going to be another quiet day, _Minato thought tiredly_. I guess the word is starting to spread. It certainly has become more peaceful than it was the first weeks. _

Three weeks had passed since MBI had occupied Tokyo, and Minato and his Sekirei had been out almost every day and night, either surveying the streets or training at the Inn. The landlady had given both Musubi and Akizu advice on how to fight more efficiently, and Minato was pretty sure he could feel how they both had become stronger.

Even though they had been busy almost every hour of the day, he had made sure that he could make some time alone with each of his Sekirei.

He had been sparring lightly with Musubi, teaching her some of the more useful combat techniques he knew from his ninjutsu style, like how to submit or knock out an opponent as fast as possible. She had learned quickly, and combined with the training of the landlady, Minato knew that she would be a much more dangerous fighter now, comparing to how she only had relied on brute strength before.

Getting Akizu to train however, had been much more difficult. The blonde woman was already very powerful, but it seemed she felt a little inhibited about using her abilities. When Minato had asked her about it, he had been surprised to find that she became uncharacteristically flustered, and told him sadly that as a scrapped number, she hadn't full control over her powers.

"I am terribly sorry Master," she had said while looking down, obviously trying to hide her feelings behind her normal stoic mask. "I do not want to risk overloading my power as that can cause me to lose control of it. If that happened, I would most likely die."

Minato had looked at her with shock, and felt at loss for something to say to soothe her. While he had tried to figure out what he should say, Akizu had shocked him even further by adding: "If I should be the cause of my own demise, I would want it to be in battle, so that I could be useful to you to the very end."

These words had shaken him to the core, and he had said almost angrily: "You idiot, don't talk like that." He had then cupped her chin with his hand and brought her ice-blue eyes up to meet his, while he continued with a much softer tone;

"Promise me you won't say something like that again. You know that you are precious to both me and everyone else here at Izumo. Nobody would want you to disappear from our life. If you fear your own powers, then work on controlling them. If you think you are too weak to control them, then become so strong that you are able to do so easily. I will not allow anything or anyone to take you from me, do you understand?"

"Yes, Master" she had whispered, while a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Minato," he had said smilingly while wiping away her tear with his index finger. "Haven't I already told you to just call me Minato?"

"Yes … Minato." She had turned away when a blush had started creeping up her neck, obviously not used to losing her emotional control, and he hadn't been able to resist planting a kiss on her cheek when she did so. She had looked so cute when she blushed that he couldn't control himself.

The next morning, Minato had not been surprised when he found Akizu training in the garden with Miya, he had only smiled to himself.

-

_I'm surprised by how little combat we have actually encountered, _Minato thought as he rested on the roof of Izumo Inn. That spot had become his favorite, as he could lie in the sun while watching the clouds pass by.

_If you disregard some minor skirmishes with some of the more troublesome pairs, we haven't met a single powerful opponent. The only thing we've really had to do, was to protect some of the unwinged ones from some bad men. _

There had been some minor confrontations with a few pairs of Sekirei and Ashikabis, but once they had realized that Minato and his Sekirei wasn't out to get them as long as they didn't do anything stupid, all of them had agreed that there were no reason to fight.

_I think at least the north sector of the capital should be a safe place for those in need, but according to Kagari; there are Ashikabis in both the south and the east who have captured and winged a great number of Sekirei. I wish there was something I could do!_

He sighed when he thought this, knowing it would be suicide to attack either of these two, and besides; what use would there be attacking them now? That would only be playing that mad CEO's plan right how he wanted it.

"Oh, you were up here too," he heard a familiar voice say with surprise. He opened his eyes and saw Uzume standing not far from him.

"Good morning, Uzume. I've found that this spot is a good place to let my thoughts wander."

"Yes, it is isn't it?" the brunette responded distantly. Minato had noticed a small change in her behavior the last two weeks, but he couldn't pinpoint it. He just didn't know her well enough to discern the true reason behind the change.

"Uzume-san, I know that we don't talk a lot, but is there something that troubles you? You have seemed a little different the last weeks. If there is something I could do to help, you don't have to hesitate to ask."

The question obviously took her by surprise, but she gave almost no outward indication of it, and it was only because he knew what to look for that Minato saw through the happy charade she responded with.

"Heh? No, no, I'm fine. There's no need to worry about me."

Minato didn't respond, but continued to regard her in silence. He knew something was off, but he didn't know what, and she obviously didn't trust him enough to confer in him. She hadn't been her normal cheerful self during their common dinners, and she seemed to leave the Inn more often than before. He had noticed all of this, but he had been too preoccupied to bring it up before.

His line of thoughts was cut off by Musubi calling him down for breakfast. After he had told her that he had already eaten before his morning practice and turned back to face Uzume, he realized that she had already left.

--XxoO--

_**He was watching the back of a woman whose dark coat was fluttering behind her as the stood atop a skyscraper and looked down at the city below her. The strong wind was ruffling through the long, blonde hair that was flowing down her back. **_

""_**I will never allow myself to become dishonored, nor will I accept any lesser being as my Ashikabi."**_ _**She said menacingly to no one in particular.**_

_**She then turned around, and he felt like she was looking directly at him. Her intent to kill was seen easily in her ocean blue eyes, almost like a raging storm. **_

"_**I can feel your presence close by. And when I do, I will definitely kill you. I will be the last sight you'll ever see."**_

-

--XxoO--

-

He jolted back to awareness and found himself still lying on the roof off the Izumo Inn. He had no doubt in his mind that he had experienced another vision similar to the one he had seen before he met Kusano.

_Although this one was definitely different than my first one, _Minato thought wryly._ This_ _girl obviously wants to kill me for some reason. That is certainly unsettling._

An image of her face appeared before his mind once more. He sighed while he got up. _Too bad, she seemed pretty cute, but if she wants to kill me I can't really let her do that, can I?_

He remembered Matsu explaining the concept of the telepathic communication between an Ashikabi and a Sekirei when he was debriefing her on what had happened during Kusano's rescue. She had told him that some Sekirei had a much higher cognitive power than the others. That meant that they could both subconsciously and consciously call out to their Ashikabis, even if they had never met him before.

_I'm pretty sure I have never met that blond woman before in my life, so that means she must be a Sekirei that has responded to me as am Ashikabi. Judging from the way she threatened to kill me, she did not do so willingly._

"_Keep in mind Minato, that your power as an Ashikabi seems to be very strong, and that will cause a lot of things to happen to you, many of which will seem unnatural to you. You will most likely have even more Sekirei respond to you, and I am pretty certain that this strange power burst you experienced was another manifestation of your power. I will therefore warn you now, because whether or not you are ready to face this, I am certain that you will face a lot of challenges in the imminent future. You should steel your resolve, and figure out what you want to do."_

Miya's words of admonition replayed over in his mind. She had seemed deadly serious when she said it, but he had yet to encounter any real danger. Maybe this blonde was one of the things she had warned him about.

"Minato, we're supposed to leave now." Musubi's call drove him back to the present, and he made his way down from the roof and to the entrance, where everybody stood waiting for him.

"I'm sorry, I fell asleep and lost track of time," he said as soon as he saw them, not mentioning his strange vision. He didn't know why, but he felt that it was not such a significant matter to make them worry over. After all, they wouldn't be able to fight very well if they were concerned for him at the same time.

As they turned to leave, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Miya was watching them depart, but he couldn't figure out the look that she gave them. It seemed like a mixture of anxiousness and regret, yet he could swear that he saw both hope and pride in her gaze.

_Even though she told me a lot about Sekirei that night, I realize now that she told me almost nothing about herself, _Minato reflected. _It seems like she is unwilling to reveal anything about her past, either because it is hurtful or because she is ashamed. But her enigmatic behavior only makes me more curious. _

He then made a mental note; _just remember the old saying Minato: Curiosity killed the cat. I would definitely not want to end up on Miya's bad side. She has great power hidden inside her, and I'm pretty sure she can be ruthless when she wants to be._

-

--XxoO--

-

As he was speeding through Tokyo on his recently acquired motorbike, he couldn't help but notice the almost deserted streets. A lot of people had opted to leave the city in the weeks following MBI's occupation, and the ones that remained chose to stay inside because of the soldiers on every corner.

The motorbike had been purchased as soon as they had realized a flaw in their original planning: Even if Kusano was with Minato, there was no way he could reach one of the others in case they needed backup. This had been realized after the first fight they got in, as Musubi had faced a Sekirei and an Ashikabi alone, and she had been lucky to avoid getting killed when the Sekirei used her norito. Fortunately, Minato hadn't been far away, and he had been able to stop the fight when he arrived. After that, he had made sure he had a better mode of transportation.

_Damn, it is strange seeing Tokyo like this. Normally it is so bustling of people, and now it looks almost looks like a ghost town._

That was of course an overstatement, as there were still some crowds milling about, but it still shook Minato to see what lengths MBI had gone to set up this "game". There was something dystopian over the sight of Tokyo this day.

......

A slight tug in his heart took him by surprise, as it felt like a premonition. He stopped the bike and closed his eyes, searching for what could have caused this experience. What he found was some kind of trail, nothing physical like a thread or a scent, but something much more ethereal. His instincts told him to follow this trail, and he let himself be lead through a maze of small streets by them.

-

* * *

-

Her heart was in turmoil, and she was sure she knew the answer; that lowlife was somewhere not far away. She had vowed to herself that she would never surrender her pride to an Ashikabi and that she would become stronger than everyone else.

For the weeks following her release, she had gone back to living with her tuner and getting familiar with the city. She had gotten into a few fights, but no one had been worthy challenges of her, and they had always opted run away once they realized that. She despised those that were so weak they had to run away, but she didn't want to waste time hunting them down either.

After all, she was Sekirei number nine: Tsukiumi, a single number. Only a few could hope to match her in combat. She had thought she had found a worthy rival in number six; Homura, but the guy had refused to fight her without a valid reason. She had been surprised at that; after all, what reason should a Sekirei need to fight?

The air felt humid, and it felt like it might start to rain soon. She scanned the streets from her vantage point atop a tall building. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but she still felt uncomfortable. It might just be that reprobate's presence, yet there felt like there was something else out there she needed to be alert for.

Suddenly her senses flared up in alarm and she whipped around, sending a large wave of water towards where she sensed the danger.

"My, my, what a hostile greeting. I must commend your senses though," a light tone called out from the shadows not far from where she had sent her water.

"Who are you?" Tsukiumi called angrily, "Show yourself! Do not hide like a coward."

"I'm sorry I disturbed you. I did not intend to sneak attack you, but I wanted to test your alertness. If it makes you feel better, you did not disappoint."

Tsukiumi looked at the unknown girl warily as she stepped out from her hiding place in the shadows. At first sight they might have looked a little alike; both had long blonde hair that fell down their backs and ocean blue eyes, but the similarities stopped there.

While Tsukiumi was a tall buxom woman, sporting a long black coat and black stockings, the unknown woman was of medium height and petite build. She was dressed in a small white dress with matching white stockings and arm gloves. From her neck hanged a silver cross.

"I'll ask you once more," Tsukiumi said menacingly. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The girl seemed entirely unfazed by the killing intent Tsukiumi sent her way when she answered calmly: "I am Sekirei number 99, Kiyoko. I'm here to fight you, number nine. I can sense that you and I are roughly at the same level of strength, and since you don't have an Ashikabi either this will be an interesting match."

"You are pretty straightforward," Tsukiumi said while smiling, as the joy of battle had already taken her over. "As the formalities are over with, let's get started."

As soon as she had finished talking, she unleashed a massive amount of water to try to crush her opponent by the sheer weight of the water. She sent the wave crashing over the rooftop, crushing everything in its path.

Her attempt was futile though, as Kiyoko nimbly evaded the water by somersaulting backwards and landing gracefully on the roof of a small shed nearby. Tsukiumi changed tactics, and sent a dozen compressed jets of water towards the shed, trying to encircle her target. She knew that if just one of those jets connected, she would be knocked into the ground, and the rest of the jets would finish her easily.

To her surprise, the blonde girl charged forwards, ducking under and avoiding the compressed beams of water. Obviously the girl was a close range fighter, so Tsukiumi knew that she would lose her advantage if she let the girl get in too close.

By throwing up a curtain of water, Tsukiumi managed to get some more distance between herself and her opponent, but she knew that the small rooftop gave her no advantage. She had to move the fight to a more suitable location. If she had enough space to move in, she would be able to emerge victorious, as she would allow the other girl to close in on her.

Her senses told her that something was amiss when one highly compressed jet grazed her opponent, opening a small gash on her shoulder. It seemed like her opponent wasn't fighting at full power, and it seemed like her mind wasn't fully in the fight. Just as Tsukiumi was about reprimand the blonde for not taking her seriously, Kiyoko stopped suddenly and said:

"We better stop now. I sense that more than one winged Sekirei are closing in on our location. Seeing as they are winged, I guess they are on a mission from their Ashikabi. I would advise you not to stay here. I guess our fight must be postponed."

As soon as she had said this, she disappeared so fast that Tsukiumi didn't notice which way she went. Her eyes went wide when she realized the true speed of her opponent, and that she might indeed had been lucky that this mysterious number 99 mind had been preoccupied. With that speed, she could have easily found an opening during one of her own attacks and attacked her blind spot.

Tsukiumi then recognized 99's warning, and decided that she better not stay in this place if she needed to fight again. She jumped down to street level and started running, looking over her shoulder to see if anyone followed her, when she suddenly hit something.

-

* * *

-

Minato could feel that he was getting closer to his destination by how the strange feeling in his chest intensified every meter.

"Mina-tan, you have veered off your planned route. Are something wrong?" Matsu asked him through the headset in his helmet.

"I don't know," Minato said plainly. "I just feel like I need to be at a certain place. I can't really explain it. Tell the others to gather at me. I have a feeling that there might be trouble soon. I'll be going ahead."

"Roger, I'll make sure they know where you are. Stay safe, Mina-tan."

He got off the bike, deciding to search further on foot. He could feel that he was close now, and the anticipation was making his heart beat at double pace. Whatever he was supposed to look for, it sure didn't bode well for his nerves.

Suddenly the sensation just disappeared, almost like a candle that is snuffed out. He halted on the spot, unsure of what this meant. Had he found whatever he was looking for? Or had he just lost his chance?

He closed his eyes, trying to recapture that awareness he had felt just moments ago. He focused so hard on doing so, that he didn't notice the sound of steps coming closer until it was too late. He opened his eyes just in time to notice someone running straight into him.

The force of the collision sent them both to the ground, and even though the wind was knocked out of him when he hit the ground, he reflexively managed to grab onto the wrists of the unknown person, just in case this was an attack.

"What the hell are you doing?" the woman said angrily. "Let go of me at onc…"

As Minato regained his vision he got eye contact with his assailant, and the shock of recognition was mirrored in both their faces. This was the same blonde woman he had seen in his vision just this morning, the one who had threatened to kill him if they ever met.

She recoiled back immediately, almost like she had been burnt by him. Her eyes glazed over, and she was panting heavily. Minato looked at her in wonder, not sure what he was feeling at the moment. This woman had sworn to kill him and should therefore be considered a threat, but when he looked at her he knew that he could never harm her. His body was torn between his rationality and his irrationality, and no one could gain advantage over the other, so he just sat there, staring at her.

"You bastard," the woman growled, and Minato could see the anger in her eyes. "You, you are my…"

She didn't finish her sentence, but Minato knew what she wanted to say. He on the other hand, felt at loss for words in front of a woman for the first time in his life. Before he could think of something to say however, the woman laughed lowly and menacingly, saying with barely concealed killing intent:

"We finally meet. I will not allow myself to be dishonored, so I will kill you with my own hands."

As she said this, massive amounts of water started gathering around her, and Minato's rationality took control over his body, allowing him to get some distance between them.

"That will not help you, you lowlife. Now prepare to die!" the woman shouted as she sent the water crashing towards him at great speed. He could only watch as the wall of water made his way towards him like a ferocious tsunami. He had no way of avoiding that.

_-_

"_**Be careful Minato; just remember that when an Ashikabi dies, all of his Sekirei are terminated."**_

_**-  
**_

Miya's words flashed before his mind, reminding him of all those lives that were at stake.

_I can't die her,_ he thought resolutely._ I can't let that happen to them. I won't let that happen to them._

In response to his resolve, he felt the strange sensation he had felt once before come alive inside of him. Before his eyes, it seemed like the tsunami slowed down and he knew instinctively that he would be able to dodge it if he jumped.

Just as he was about to do so, he noticed that the water was starting to solidify and freeze over, and soon after all of the water had frozen in place. He exhaled sharply, and felt the strange power disappear as quickly as it had appeared, making him drop to one knee as a wave of dizziness hit him.

"Are you okay Mas…Minato?" Akizu asked with concern as she landed beside him, placing a cold hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, thank you Akizu," he said with a gasp as he fought himself to stand up. "You arrived just in time."

"Is she the one who attacked you?" Akizu asked with steel in her voice, making Minato flinch. He had never heard her speak in anger before.

"Yes," he said tiredly, but hasted to add when he saw Akizu's eyes harden. "But don't attack her. She isn't an enemy."

-

* * *

-

Tsukiumi knew she was in trouble as soon as her attack was turned to ice with ease by the newcomer. That had been one of her strongest attacks, but she had stopped it easily. She knew she was at a disadvantage in this fight.

When she saw the cold fury in those icy eyes, she felt a shiver run down her spine, but she nevertheless prepared herself for battle.

"Don't attack her. She isn't an enemy"

His words carried through to her, shocking both her and the other woman. She could only look as he placed a hand on the other woman's shoulder and notice how the anger went out her ice blue orbs and be replaced by a look that caused an unfamiliar sensation to crawl out of Tsukiumi's heart.

She stood frozen as her heart that just seconds ago had be in turmoil like an angry sea, calmed down like a silent lake. This change took her completely by surprise and she turned and ran.

She ran through the streets without any clear goal to where she was going, she just needed to get away. Buildings passed by in a blur, but her mind was blank as she ran, and it wasn't until she stopped that she started to notice her surroundings.

She slumped down in a dark alley, trying furiously to make sense of what that had just happened to her.

_What the hell happened to me back there? I'm sure that I detest all Ashikabis, but right now I can't bring myself to feel any animosity towards him at all. What did he do to me?_

She remembered how her body had heated up the moment she looked into his face, but right then she had managed to quench her body's reaction by her anger. Now however, she found it increasingly difficult to control herself. Everytime she closed her eyes, his face swam before her mind, and a warm feeling would spread through her chest.

_No, I will not surrender to him. I will not let this body dictate my actions, nor will I ever accept that man as my Ashikabi._

With a mental push, she got to her feet and forced her mind away from him. Seeing that she could not kill him, she decided to put as much distance between herself and him as possible. She disregarded her own body's objections and forced her feet to start moving.

-

--XxoO--

-

She was so lost in her thoughts, that she didn't notice anything amiss before they were practically upon her. She jumped back just in time to avoid being beaten into the ground by a woman equipped with a long iron staff.

Tsukiumi started to gather enough water for a crushing wave, but the unknown assailant didn't give her the time she needed to do so, as she kept on attacking, forcing Tsukiumi to be constantly on the defensive.

As she ducked under a horizontal swing by the black-haired attacker, she allowed her anger to well up and hit her with a strong wave of water, causing her opponent to be thrown back a few meters.

This gave Tsukiumi the time she needed to gather enough water for a devastating attack. The assailant obviously recognized the danger she was in, and started running in zig-zag backwards, evidently thinking that this would throw Tsukiumi's aim off somehow.

"That is useless, you have nowhere to run!" Tsukiumi shouted as she released her Water Festival, which filled the narrow alley with a rampant wave of water.

To Tsukiumi's surprise, her attacker stopped running and faced towards the oncoming wave, starting to spin her staff around in rapid circles. As the wave connected, it was almost like it had hit an invisible wall, and streamed past her like water streams past a big rock in a stream.

"Your power is strong, but it is always easy to find openings on those that depend on an ability like yours."

So focused was Tsukiumi on the opponent in front of her, that she didn't detect the one that came in from behind. In a heartbeat, Tsukiumi realized that the first assailant's job had only been to distract her long enough so that the other could sneak up behind her. She desperately tried to defend herself from this new threat, but she was quickly knocked out by a powerful kick to the head.

-

--XxoO--

-

As she regained consciousness, she quickly noticed that she was pinned down by her two assailants. Between them both, they held her so tightly that she had no chance of escape, and the knife held against her throat was obviously a warning against trying to use her ability.

"I'm sorry for the violent approach I had to take, but from your reputation as a hater of Ashikabi's, I judged that this was the only way."

As her vision cleared, Tsukiumi could now see the unknown man clearly. He was tall and had blonde hair that fell down over his eyes. His clothes were obviously expensive, as they looked as they were tailor made, but none of this mattered to Tsukiumi. She only felt anger at the sight of this man.

"You cowardly bastard!" she screamed at him. "Sekirei fights are supposed to be one on one."

"The Sekirei Plans's rules you mean?" the man said humorlessly. "Unfortunately I am of no mind to associate myself with such a farce. In a fight, you need to overwhelm or outsmart your enemy in order to win. That is one of the oldest rules of human warfare, something you are obviously unaware of."

Tsukiumi stared with shock and hatred at the man who had just stated that he paid no heed to the rules of Sekirei combat. She felt desperately cornered, but she could neither flee nor attack this man, as she was still held in vice-grips by the two unknown Sekirei. So instead she could only ask:

"Who the hell are you people, you bastard? Why did you attack me?"

"Ah how rude of me to not introduce myself," the man said with his callous tone. "I am Higa Uzumi. This is two of my Sekirei: Toyotama and Ichiya. Very soon, you will be mine as well."

He then grabbed a hold of Tsukiumi's chin, forcing her to look him in the eye as he slowly moved forward to claim her lips.

_No, it can't be this man, _Tsukiumi thought desperately._ He is not the man that makes me feel warm inside, he is not the one meant to be my Ashikabi. The one who is meant to be my Ashikabi is him._

She closed her eyes, and the image of the brown-haired man with the beautiful russet orbs she had met earlier today appeared before her mind once again.

_I can't let this happen_, she thought as she tried even harder to avoid what seemed inevitable, but the man's lips just came closer and closer. _No, no, this can't be real. _She had never experienced fear like this before in her life, and the thought that this despicable blonde would claim her brought tears to her eyes.

-

Suddenly the man in front of her cried out, and her heart lifted when she heard a powerful voice bellow: "Move one more inch and you are a dead man."

-

* * *

-

"She is not an enemy," Minato said as he put his hand on Akizu's shoulder. He had felt the fury she radiated toward the other woman, and he didn't want her to do something rash in anger. As far as he knew, Akizu had never let her emotions dictate her actions before, but she had become more and more in touch with her feelings over the time they had been together, and she obviously needed help to keep her normal restraint in this situation.

His touch had the desired effect, as her shoulders quickly became less tense, and soon after she returned to her normal calm self.

As he returned his attention to the Sekirei that had promised to kill him, she suddenly turned and ran, leaving him looking incredulously after her. He had been trying to think up something to say to make her tell him why she hated him, but he had not expected her to run away like she had.

_Wow, my life just becomes stranger and stranger, doesn't it? _He asked himself with disbelief. _Everyday there is some new situation I have to adapt to. Today it is an angry woman that tries to kill me, and then she runs away. What shall I do in this situation? Follow her or just go home?_

He considered this for a moment, before he realized that he really did have just one option. After looking into those eyes that were as blue as the sky, he knew that he would never be able to forget them if he just went home. He had to find out more about this woman, no matter what it would cost him. He had no choice in the matter; this was just how it had to be.

"Matsu," he spoke into the wireless transmitter. "Can you see where that woman went, and do you have any intel on her?"

"Yes, Mina-tan. According to her abilities and her appearance, it has to be number nine; Tsukiumi. She is currently running in a south-eastern direction."

"Minato, I can confirm that she is Tsukiumi," Kagari said as he joined the conversation through his own transmitter. "I have met her before, and I guess you can consider yourself lucky to have escaped with your life if you really are her Ashikabi. She holds a great anger toward Ashikabis."

"I think I somehow sensed that," Minato commented dryly. "Do you know why?"

"I'm not quite sure, but I think it stems from both misconception and insight about the nature of Ashikabis. She always ranted about how Ashikabis was lowlifes that exploited the love of Sekirei."

"I see, well then…"

"Mina-tan!" Matsu interjected suddenly. "Number nine has started slowing down, but I can see that two Sekirei are shadowing her and it seems like they are preparing to attack. It doesn't seem like she has noticed them."

"What?" Minato said heatedly. "How far away am I from them?"

"About 1 km in a straight line. A few minutes on foot."

Minato didn't waste time and started running, motioning for Akizu to follow him. With the help of Matsu, he navigated through the narrow streets, but when he reached the place of battle, she was already gone.

"Musubi, Kagari, gather at me," he ordered into the wireless. "Matsu, where did they take her?"

"I'm sorry Mina-tan. I can't give you an accurate position. Someone is performing a massive DDos-attack toward my computers, and they are also disrupting my mental communication with the spy satellites. The last I saw, was that she were dragged towards the eastern sector by two Sekirei."

"Higa Uzumi," Minato said through clenched teeth. He had learned of the so-called Ashikabi of the east from a pair that had escaped from the eastern sector after Higa had tried to coerce them into allying with him. Apparently he was gathering a massive amount of Sekirei under his command, but other than that, it was almost impossible to find any information about him.

He closed his eyes, trying to search for the connection he had felt earlier this day. It was faint, but it was still there. Once more, he shut out all thought and let the sensation lead him. He knew that he had little time, but he also knew that if he stressed too much, he would lose her.

Suddenly the sensation felt more gripping, and he instinctively knew that time was running out. He started to sprint, suddenly sure of her exact whereabouts. He ran into a small and dark alley, sure that he would find her at the end of it.

"I am close now," he said into his headset. "Where is everyone else?"

"Both me and Kagari-san are up on the roofs above you," Musubi responded.

"Very well. I will draw their attention, and you two will hit them from the flanks or behind, got it?"

He got their affirmative just as he got his enemy in sight. The man stood with his back towards him at the end of alley. He could hear Tsukiumi shouting something at him, but he couldn't make out the words, as he was still too far away. He drew the knife hidden in his sleeve, readying himself for assault.

Suddenly the man gripped Tsukiumi's chin, leaning forward to kiss her. Minato's anger flared when he saw how she tried in vain to free himself from his grip and how she cried in desperation. He cocked back his hand, and sent the knife flying into the man's shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain and surprise.

"Move one more inch, and you are a dead man!" Minato bellowed menacingly. Just a second later, both Kagari and Musubi landed a few meters behind the two Sekirei holding Tsukiumi, efficiently trapping their enemies.

Higa turned around to face Minato, and his rage was seen easily on his face. This didn't unsettle Minato on bit, rather it made his own anger rise even more, and he drew his knife as he closed the distance between them. His malicious intent must have been seen easily, as Higa unconsciously took one step back.

"It seems you have the advantage this time, Ashikabi of the north. But the next time we meet, you won't be as fortunate as today," Higa sneered as he drew something familiar to Minato out of his pocket, and threw it to the ground.

"Everyone, shield your eyes!" Minato shouted as he recognized the flash-bang grenade. Obviously none of the others knew what Higa just had thrown, so when the flash came, Minato and Higa was the only ones to escape the blinding effect of the grenade.

"Ariake, fire the laser at the blonde one!" Higa shouted frantically into a walkie-talkie, as he himself started running as far away as possible, grabbing one of his Sekirei as he ran past her.

Minato reacted instinctively, unconsciously remembering when Matsu had told him about the MBI laser satellite she had been able to hack into, and piecing it together with Higa's order. Power flowed into him, and he launched forwards, pushing himself and Tsukiumi out of the way.

Milliseconds later, a wide beam of light hit where Tsukiumi had just stood, and Minato could feel the heat and power the laser generated as it hit the empty spot, causing a huge noise as it destroyed the ground.

Just as it had appeared, the beam vanished again, leaving behind a huge hole. Beside it lay the other of the two of Higa's Sekirei, the one who had been left behind, grievously wounded. She had not been hit by the laser directly, but she had been close enough to have her entire left side severely burnt. Minato looked around, and could ascertain with relief that no one else had been hurt, though it seemed like Tsukiumi had fainted, and both Musubi and Kagari looked a little shell-shocked.

He walked slowly over to the wounded Sekirei, and took her unwounded hand in his and asked if she was okay. He wasn't really sure if she was conscious, or in too much shock and pain to speak with him at all, so he was surprised when she looked up at him with teary eyes and said:

"Please, even though I know he is a bad person, I still love him. Therefore if you ever meet him again, don't kill him, please. I still love hi…m"

With these words, she closed her eyes, and Minato could only look on with sadness as her spirit left her body, and she stopped breathing for good. He felt both pity for her and anger at Higa, but he also felt stunned that she would proclaim her love for Higa and ask him to spare Higa's life as her last words. He just couldn't understand how she could still love a person even after he had practically killed her.

"Is she dead?" Musubi asked him sadly as she came and stood next to him.

"Yeah," he said lowly as he stood up. "Killed by the man she loved."

Without more words, Minato walked over to the still unconscious form of Tsukiumi. He sat down next to her and called softly:

"Hey, Tsukiumi, are you okay?"

-

* * *

-

She stirred slightly in response to his words, and seconds later she jerked awake, looking around her with fear in her eyes, especially at the place where the laser had destroyed the ground.

"Calm down, you are safe now," Minato reassured her, and she fixed her gaze at him.

"You saved me from that strange beam of light?" she asked, not sure of what had really happened after her capture.

"You could say that," Minato answered truthfully. "Are you unhurt?" he asked as he extended an arm to help her stand up. After a moment of consideration, she took it as she blushed lightly.

"Even though I tried to kill you, you still risked your life to save mine. Why?" the blonde woman asked him with her head downcast.

"I guess you already know the reason. From the moment I saw you in my dream, I have felt a connection to you. There was no way I could let you go like that."

"You are a very special man," she said with a small smile on her face. "I was probably looking for someone like you. My heart that previously was in turmoil is now so calm that it almost frightens me. What is your name?"

"Sahashi Minato."

"Minato," she repeated with a small blush, making him smile at her.

"Then rather than letting me go, I hope you can accept this," she said and leaned forward, pressing her lips against his. As the wings of light appeared, she closed her eyes, reveling in the sensation as warmth spread through her body and made it feel like she was on fire.

The feeling was so intense that she dropped to one knee, and she blushed again when he touched her shoulder and asked if she was okay.

"I am fine," she answered happily and turned to give him a dazzling smile.

"You have now become my Ashikabi, and that will be marked with bright light. For now and forever."

-

-

**Author's end notes: **

**It seems like my chapters keep on growing and growing in length, and somehow I feel like their quality improves as well, but I leave it to the reader to be the judge of that. This one nearly reached 20 pages before I finally finished. I had originally considered to end the chapter with a cliffhanger at the point where Tsukiumi thought she would be winged forcefully, but I just couldn't bring myself to leave it there, so I kept on going the next day.**

**I think everybody understood at which point I snuck my OC into the story, and for those that are interested, I intend to put a link to a picture of her at my profile page, so check it out.**

**As always, I am grateful for every review that I get, even those with criticism (As long as it is constructive), and I try to reply to every review that is longer than the usual oneliner. Therefore I encourage you all to review, especially if you have thoughts on my OC or how I write.**

**Lastly I want to thank Exdeamon and Platinumsabr. The first for writing an awesome review that helped me set the course for this story again, and the last for taking his time to give me some advice on how to write better. If you by some chance haven't read any of Platinumsabr's stories, I strongly recommend you to do so, even if you are not normally a fan of Bleach or R+V fanfics, because his stories are by far the best fics I have ever read.**

**With this, I end this chapter, and I hope you have enjoyed it.**

**UPDATE: Even though this chapter was written pretty fast, I'm not sure how much time I will be able to put off to write in the following weeks. For those of you that are gaming nerds like me, you might know that Mass Effect 2 will be released next week, and as I have spent at least 100 hours on Mass Effect 1, I'm not sure how much free time I will get. (Or how much sleep :P). Therefore, please review me, as this makes me feel motivated for writing. (Yes, I am an attention-whore, big whoop wanna fight about it? :P)  
**


	7. The Stories of Sahashi

** The Stories**** Of Sahashi**

-

_Wow, this is bound to look strange to anyone who may happen to see us, _Minato thought as he was walking home with one beautiful woman in each arm, and a third one walking just behind him.

_If I run into my sister or mother, I must be sure to have one hell of a good explanation ready, or else I might find myself in a real hellhole_. He tried to think up one for a minute, but had to conclude bemusedly that he had squat._ I actually have less than squat_, he corrected himself. _I wish I had squat_.

_Meh, I probably won't see either of them for a while. Yukari is busy with her studies and mom is busy with her work. And if I meet them, I can just wing it. I can tell them I have become a Mormon and that I practice my right to live in polygamy_. He snorted at that, knowing that telling his mom that he had become religious would most likely make her forget the polygamy thing; science had always been her god.

He shifted his interest to the blonde woman currently clinging to his arm. Tsukiumi was obviously of the possessive type, and he had been afraid at first that she would react badly when she learned that he already had four other Sekirei. For a second he had feared another attempt at his life.

Luckily she had adapted pretty quickly; only a small vein popping dangerously on her forehead when he told her, but she quickly set out to mark her territory. In a badly attempt at being inconspicuous, she had grabbed a hold of his arm, but he had refrained from commenting, in fact he did not object.

This had of course caused Musubi's winner instinct to flare, and she had not been slow to grab a hold of his other arm. The two women had sent each other a barely concealed glare, and Minato had been too surprised to say something. Only Akizu seemed unperturbed, but her emotions were always hard to discern due to her stoic mask.

Kagari had given him a wide grin and a thumbs up before he took off, leaving Minato behind in what seemed like a pretty messy situation. Obviously Musubi hadn't been entirely correct when she had said that there wouldn't be any problems that he winged more Sekirei.

_Well, technically she didn't say that, _he righted himself after reminiscing back to that night he had met Akizu. She had said that she would love whoever he loved because of their bond, but that didn't mean she would love them like he did.

_I guess that's right. After all, there are different kinds of love. As long as they get along, I guess I should call myself a lucky bastard. I am living in one of almost every man's fantasies._

_-_

--XxoO--

_-_

When they arrived back at the Inn, he had to explain the rules of Izumo to Tsukiumi. She had then insisted that she would share a room with him, and he didn't exactly protest; after all, both Musubi and Akizu slept in the same room as him, why shouldn't she?

He had gone to talk to Miya and tell her about Tsukiumi and what had happened that day, and she had seemed a little hesitant when he told her that his room would get a new tenant, but in the end she hadn't prohibited it.

Instead she had asked him if they all had come back unharmed, and she seemed relieved when he told her that except for some few cuts and burns, they had all walked away without any casualties. In fact the only one who had gained any significant damage was him, as his back had been burned by the laser and his shirt was in tatters.

He excused himself to get his back treated, and as he walked towards his room where he kept his medical kit, he received a text message on his phone that said:

"To oni-chan. I have been intending to call you to talk about certain things, but due to some unforeseen circumstances, we cannot talk for some time, but I am fine. Please take care of yourself."

He stared at this cryptic message, and he recalled how the last conversation with his sister had ended rather abruptly. He realized now that due to all that had happened to him, he had never remembered to call back. Now it had gone over a month since he talked to her, and the guilt over how their discussion had ended finally caught up with him. _She must have been pretty hurt over how I treated her, _he thought guiltily. _I wonder how she is doing now?_

-

-

* * *

**Interlude: Three weeks before present time**

-

In another part of the capital, Sahashi Yukari was wandering about aimlessly, not really in the mood for anything. She had considered go visiting her brother, but had decided against it, as she really had no good reason for seeing him.

-

She had always loved him and looked up to him, as he had always been there for her when she needed help, but when he moved out and joined the army, she had felt that she had lost a pillar in her life. He had been gone for two years, and even though she had missed him a lot, she was a too stubborn teenager to ever admit that when he finally had time to call home.

She had been in her senior year at high school when she was informed that her brother was coming home, and she felt that she had matured a lot during the time he had been away. She had stopped being a small girl with no self-esteem and become a confident young woman.

When he came home, she thought that he had not changed at all during his time away. He was still a caring and compassionate man that could seem harmless at first sight, yet he carried himself in a way that spoke of a great hidden strength. At first sight, she had thought that he was still the same brother she had grown up with.

Soon after his arrival, she started to notice that something was amiss in him. Most of the time, he seemed like he was the same he had always been, but sometimes there was a hardness in his eyes that had not been there before. It was obvious that his time in the army had done something to him, but he always avoided her questions when she tried to ask him about it. Whatever had happened to him, he wasn't comfortable enough to talk about it with her.

He also started going more out; meeting up with many people he had never acquainted himself with before, like that pretty boy host named Kagari. Some part of her realized that this was just her brother acting like any young male, but mostly she just became irritated that he was flirting with different women every night.

Then she had learned that he had failed his University entrance exam, and she had surprisingly felt extremely angry once she heard. She was sure that it was a consequence of his excessive partying and his intense focus on his training, and she was angered by the fact that her brother was wasting his extraordinary intelligence.

And the worst part was that he didn't really seem troubled by it, almost like it was of no importance to him. She had called him on the phone the day after her mom had told her the news and demanded an explanation, but he just had told her that it was unexpected, but that he would take it as fate's intervention.

She had snorted disbelievingly at that, as she knew that he had never been a spiritual person, and was about to yell at him some more when she was sure that she heard a woman's voice in the background. Before she managed to ask her brother about it, he had told her that he was busy with work and moving out, so he had to go. He had then hanged up, leaving her more angry and bewildered than she had been before she had called.

-

Almost a week had passed since she had last spoken to him, as she had decided to punish him for hanging up on her. Unfortunately he hadn't called back, and she was too stubborn to call him.

_Damn you oni-chan, you didn't even give me your new address. I can't even stop by unannounced and check up on you._

She was so lost in her angry thoughts, that she didn't notice the sound of running footsteps before it was too late, and she felt herself become knocked over by a silver-haired boy who was about her height. She was about to vent her anger at him, but then she noticed his silky white skin and his wheat-colored eyes, and all anger left her instantly. He was the most beautiful boy she had ever seen.

For a second they just stared at each other, before she noticed the trickle of blood that ran down from his right knee.

"Are you all right?" she asked both with concern and fascination. "You're bleeding. If you let me help, I can take care of it."

"Ah, it's okay, I'm…"

"Take it easy will you!" a woman's voice called. "You keep running around, but you know that I will take you back to my master. One way or another"

Yukari looked at the newcomer with malice in her eyes, how did she dare ruin this moment?

"I will never go with you," the boy yelled back. "Especially not to the person who tried to be so mean to Kuu."

Yukari couldn't sit still any longer, not only did this despicable woman ruin her moment with this boy, she also had the gall to threaten him in front of her. She put her hand lightly on the boy's shoulder and told him with certainty:

"Don't worry, I'll help you."

She then turned to the blonde woman and directed all her anger towards her before she yelled out: "Can you shut up and get your ugly face out of here? You are annoying both me and this boy just by being this close."

Yukari got a sick satisfaction from how the blonde woman's face screwed up in fury from her barb, and to add injury to the insult, she smiled at her with her most taunting smile.

"Damn you," the blonde hissed in anger. "Now that you have made me mad, I won't let you leave here alive, even though you are a normal human."

With those menacing words, she drew out a long whip which seemed to be lined with small spikes. Yukari took a step back when she saw this strange weapon, and she turned to look at the boy, considering if she should just grab him and run. He seemed like he was shocked out of his mind from the situation, as he just stared at her with a strange look in his eye.

Suddenly she heard a shriek of pain from behind her, and she whipped herself around to face the woman whose hand now was unmistakably burnt almost black. To her even bigger surprise, a man clad in black stood between her and the blonde woman.

Before she could even ask him who he where and where he had appeared from, he turned to her and said intently from behind the mask that hid his face: "Take the boy with you and run! You can't stay here."

Yukari felt that she somehow recognized the man, but she knew that she should do as the man had ordered, so she grabbed the silver haired boy and ran away as fast as she could, unconsciously steering towards her apartment. She noticed detachedly how light the boy felt in her arms, but she didn't put much thought into it, putting it off as the result of all the adrenaline that was rushing through her body.

-

--XxoO--

-

Before she knew it, her legs had carried them both back to her apartment. She dropped down at her knees, her fatigue finally catching up with her.

_What the hell was I thinking?, _she thought fervently as her heart beat at a breakneck pace, both from her extreme run through the capital and from the insane situation she had somehow gotten herself into.

_Why did I grab a beautiful boy I don't know under my arm and run away with him; I even brought him to my room? Have I gone insane?_

She looked up at the boy and was again stricken by his beautiful features. She gave him an embarrassed smile, as she was completely clueless to what she should say to him in this situation. The boy was most likely scared to death by her, and she couldn't find any words to put him at ease.

"Um, excuse me," the boy started, and Yukari was shocked by his melodious voice. It made her insides warm up, and she felt that she would give anything to have him continue speaking to her with that voice.

"I think," he continued hesitantly, leaning slowly towards her as he took a small pause; "I think I am your Sekirei," he finished as a blush started spreading rapidly up his neck.

Yukari could only stare at him in amazement and confusion. _What did he just say he was?_

-

**Interlude out: Present time**

**-

* * *

**

As dawn came, Minato woke up feeling terribly hot and with the sensation that he was being restrained from every possible angle. For a second he wondered if he had been shackled to the bed, but when he opened his eyes, he realized that the weights that were holding him down were of the much more pleasant type.

Tucked in under his arm at each side, lay Musubi and Tsukiumi, both using a part of his chest as their pillow. It was a wonder that they hadn't somehow bumped their heads into each other sometime during the night, as their hair was intertwined so precisely that it was difficult to see where the blond hair started, and the brown hair ended.

Judging from the cool touch that rested against the top of his head and the cooling fingers along his neck, he concluded that Akizu must lay nestled against his head.

_I guess that means that it must be Matsu that is using my thigh as her pillow. Well, I guess I am lucky she didn't choose someplace further up, seeing as she has displayed some perverted tendencies in the past._

Even though he knew that he shouldn't complain in this situation, he couldn't help noticing the small pains that shot up from the places on his body that had been deprived of enough blood during the night.

He tried to carefully shift a little to relieve his body without waking the sleeping beauties, but obviously just a small motion was enough to rouse them from their sleep, as they were slowly waking up just a few seconds after he had adjusted himself.

The first to wake was Tsukiumi, and as she opened her blue eyes she turned her head a little and fixed her sleepy gaze upon him. As he gave her a little smile, she immediately started to blush and stuttered embarrassedly: "G-good morning Minato."

"The same to you, Tsukiumi," he said lovingly. "I'm sorry that I woke you so early. Want me to make it up to you with a good morning kiss?"

She reddened even further at his playful suggestion, and before she could make any coherent response, Musubi stirred and said with a voice that was obviously half-asleep: "Yes please, Minato-sama." She then proceeded to grab blindly what she evidently thought was Minato's face and kissed it while her eyes remained closed.

Minato had to suppress an amused snort when he saw the look on Tsukiumi's face when Musubi kissed her unexpectedly. Her eyes went wide open with surprise, and her face became so red that she seemed like she had been sleeping in the sun for hours. To his surprise, it actually took a few seconds before his male mind caught up with the situation, but when it did, he quickly had to stifle the groan that wanted to escape his throat at this sexy sight in front of him.

"Huh, you're not Minato," Musubi said sleepily as she opened her eyes after ending the kiss. She sat up and rubbed her eyes cutely. "Good morning, Tsukiumi-san. I thought you were Minato." Tsukiumi gave no reply, as she seemed too stunned to even say something, and Minato could practically see how her brain tried to make a decision to what it should do in this situation. Inwardly, he anticipated that when the reaction finally came, it would be a grand one.

Before Tsukiumi could make up her mind however, a small chuckle from the foot of the bed told them that Matsu had observed the situation and was beside herself with perverted glee; "I wonder that would happen if two Sekirei have a sexual union," she said while barely containing her snickering. "I look forward to seeing the continuation of this romance."

That caused Tsukiumi's anger to quell her surprise over the kiss, and she proceeded to beat Matsu with her pillow while she shouted something about perverted demons. The situation was so funny that even Akizu let a small giggle escape her lips, but she quickly tried to revert to her normal stoic mask when Minato turned to her with surprised amusement, but she couldn't quite manage to wipe the smile of her face, and she blushed when she saw his amused eyes.

Suddenly Minato couldn't keep himself any longer, and he burst out laughing, causing all of his Sekirei to focus their eyes on him. His laughter turned to be quite infectious, soon after they were all laughing together.

"Haha, that must have been one of the most interesting ways I have ever woken up," Minato said merrily as he finally collected himself.

"Come here girls," he said as he stood up and opened his arms, beckoning them closer. "Let's make this a perfect morning." As they all came over, he collected them all in a group hug and gave them each a short kiss, lighting up the room with their wings of light.

-

--XxoO--

-

* * *

The day had started unlike any other for Tsukiumi. She had woken with a warm feeling in her chest, and a strange smell informed her that she was not alone in her room. Since her release into the capital about two months ago she had lived together with her tuner, but she had still felt a little lonely, and only now did she realized why. The sensation of waking in the arms of her fated one was indescribable, and she reveled in the sound of his heartbeat as she rested her head on his chest.

She didn't know how long she just laid their after having woken up, just listening to his slow breathing, but it still felt way to soon when he started to stir, obviously in the process of waking up. Suddenly she felt slightly embarrassed by the way she was clinging to him, but it had felt so natural last night after the welcoming dinner.

Minato had excused himself early, as he quite obviously was almost exhausted after the day's events. She had noticed how Musubi looked concernedly after him, and when she asked her why, the brunette had solemnly told her how Minato could somehow surpass his human physical limits for a short while, but the repercussion of doing so left him exhausted and in pain. Tsukiumi had then jolted, suddenly realizing how Minato had been able to show her out of the way of the laser, and the realization made her feel a mixture of both fear for his wellbeing, but also a warm glow in her heart from how he had risked everything to save her.

When she and the girls were finally done eating and was getting ready for bed, Minato had already fallen asleep. Without a second thought, she had lain down next to her Ashikabi, a man she had met only just today, but who she already knew would be the only man she would ever love. Soon after she too had fallen asleep, drifting into the darkness in his embrace.

_Funny if you consider how I originally intended to kill him, she added humorously to herself. Now, on the contrary, he is the most important thing in my life. It's amusing how thing can change in a single day._

As Minato now was fully awake, she turned towards him, and to her embarrassment she stammered a little when she said good morning. _Why do I suddenly behave so meekly? This is not like me at all, _she thought furiously. To her chagrin she acted even more embarrassedly when he playfully offered her a kiss. Even though she wanted it, she could make any coherent response, and when she thought she finally should be able to utter something, she found herself dragged into a kiss, not by Minato, but by who she originally had thought would be her rival in love, namely nr. 88 Musubi. What surprised her even more was that she actually enjoyed that kiss. _Was that how it was supposed to be?_

_-_

--XxoO--

-

Early in the afternoon the next day they were ready to head out into the city. Last day had been used to resting and letting everybody get to know each other better. Minato had told her of how they were patrolling the northern sector of the capital and protecting the Sekirei there. Before the day she had met Minato, she would have scoffed at the idea of protecting those who were too weak to defend themselves, but after facing the terror of almost being winged by Higa Uzumi and listening to Minato reasons, she now felt much more certain that it was the right thing to do.

"Funny how you suddenly feel so motivated to protect those you before called weak, Tsukiumi," her rival Homura asked her playfully when she met him in the hallway just before they were heading out. "I recollect trying to talk you into helping me numerous times before, but you always told me that I was a fool."

Tsukiumi fought back the urge to wash the cheeky grin of his face with a gush of water, but instead she settled into answering with the same coin.

"Maybe you overestimate your own charm, Homura. Maybe Minato was just more charming and persuasive than you ever were."

She took great satisfaction in how her rival's face fell for a second after her retort, but to her chagrin he got the last word as he burst out laughing and said while laughing: "Haha, you're damn right that I should never underestimate Minato's skill with the ladies, seeing as he managed to make you of all people fall for him. It was only yesterday that you wanted to kill all Ashikabis who only wanted to ravish your body and make you their slave, and now I guess it is you who want to jump him and let him make you scream his name in pleasure."

Tsukiumi felt her cheeks redden at his crude and unseemly joke, and the anger she had been restraining until now flooded through her and made her feel like killing the man for even considering something so perverted, but he was wise enough to flee before she recovered from the shock.

When she made her way to the garden, she found that the bastard had already taken off in a hurry, obviously fearing her payback. She seethed over that for a second before Minato's voice put her out of her grumbling.

"I'm sorry that I can't go with you today, but I think it should be fine for today, as I don't expect you to meet any difficulties. Just focus on getting to know each other today, as the most important thing to have in a fight, is a comrade that watches your back. I know that you think that Sekirei battles are just one-on-one, but that is not written in stone. If you only think that you need to focus on a single opponent, it will be way too easy to catch you unawares. Remember, true strength always comes through the help of others; no one becomes great on their own. It is when you protect the ones you love, that you will find yourself at your strongest"

Tsukiumi became a little startled at his words, as they were completely opposing how she had viewed the world until now. She had staunchly believed in the sanctity of the Sekirei battles and that only she mattered in her dream of becoming the strongest. Now Minato had basically told her that she needed to completely review her word view. This would be something she definitely had to think through thoroughly.

-

--XxoO--

-

* * *

Minato stood alone in the empty garden, focusing intently on his own breathing. With fluid and graceful motions, he worked his way through a complex kata, feeling how his body responded to the familiar movements. With the smoothness born after years of practice, he flowed through the kicks and punches, feeling how his muscles loosened and became ready for action. The kata he was executing was meant to help the performer build up his chi, or inner energy. He would need that for the training he had in mind.

Three times now he had felt an inexplicable power course through his muscles, making him accomplish feats he knew should be impossible for normal humans. He had moved at least hundred meters in what seemed to be just a few heartbeats, and he had felt like he could kill a human being with just a single punch. Miya had referred to it as his latent power as an Ashikabi, but she couldn't explain how and why it worked.

The powers came with a downside however, as usage of this force caused him both great physical and mental fatigue. If he prolonged the usage for more than a few seconds, the stress on his muscles caused him to pass out from exhaustion when his will could not carry him upright anymore.

Therefore he had decided to try and train this ability; to find out if he could activate it at will, if he could extend the time of usage, and whether or not there was a way to avoid the painful convalescence period.

_There is only one problem, _Minato thought wryly to himself_. How did I actually manage to bring forth that sensation in the first place? Is the deciding factor something so simple as the high amount of adrenaline that was running through my veins, or was it something else? Think Minato, what could it be, what those three situations have in common?_

He racked his brain as he looked back at the three events in question. All of them had definitely been life and death situations, but only once had actually his own life been in danger, the two other times it had been respectively Kusano and Tsukiumi that were at risk.

_So that counts it out as a self-defense mechanism, what other common denominators could there be? Did I make a conscious choice when I activated it, or was it just an autonomous reaction my brain made?_

Suddenly the realization hit him; He had never actually feared for his own life in those situations, but rather for the lives of those he loved. In all those situations his body had reacted to his resolve to keep them safe. The first time he unwittingly drew on that power, was when he needed to save Kusano from her assailant.

_My resolve, that's got to be it. I desperately needed to save them, and my body complied. That means that the release for this technique comes from my brain._

He knew of course of how a adrenaline rush released from the adrenal glands could make a normal human being perform feats that normally were impossible for him, but he instinctively knew that what he had done was beyond the limits of a normal human body.

_Somehow the process of becoming an Ashikabi must have altered my body somehow, _he concluded_. Apparently my muscles can create a maximum power output comparable to that of a Sekirei, at least for a short while. Does that mean that I somehow have absorbed some of Musubi's power? No, that can't be it, as she should have been weakened by the process. My best guess would be that my body has responded to the bonds I have made with my Sekirei. Miya said that her husband had been working on creating a list of potential Ashikabis, so I suppose that means that the people on that list are different somehow._

He pondered that implication for a few minutes; if that hypothesis was true, then he needed to find out what separated those who became Ashikabis from normal humans. Was it something they were born with, some result of some genetic tinkering, or just a totally random occurrence? He remembered that the strange CEO of MBI had said that he had been chosen to be a partner of a Sekirei. That could of course mean a lot, as it could be interpreted to validate all his theories. So if he wanted any answers, that meant that he needed to find some information.

_But how? _

No answer came to him easily, so he decided to shift his focus back to his training. He had finished his kata unconsciously while he was contemplating his theories, and he knew that his body was now loose enough to try what he had intended. He took several deep breaths, mentally preparing himself for anything. He then tried to recollect that sensation he had felt when he knew that Kuu was in trouble and that she needed his help. He willed the power to well up in him.

And nothing happened…

_Well, that was anticlimactic, he thought dryly to himself. I guess it won't be that easy._

-

For the next hour he simply practiced his forms against a makiwara, while at the same time trying to recapture the resolve that had allowed him to unleash this strange power in the first place, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't do it.

As time continued to fly by, a surge of frustration started to build in him, and it wasn't until he almost broke his makiwara in two that he realized that he needed to rein in his emotions. The warrior who lost his head in a fight was the one most likely to lose.

"Aren't you working hard Minato-kun," the voice of Miya came unexpectedly from behind, once again managing elude his senses and take him completely by surprise. She had refused to share any information regarding herself during their previous talk apart from what he already knew, so he still had no idea of what she truly was. He wanted to assume that she was a Sekirei, but something about her felt so… off. Having been around both unwinged and winged Sekirei, he had developed an ability to sense what they truly were. To him it was almost like a sixth sense, as he instinctively knew when a Sekirei was close, but Miya did not give off the same sensation. To his senses, it was like she was there, yet not there at the same time, and it confused him till no end.

For a second he considered whether or not he could trust her when she obviously didn't trust him, but he dismissed the thought quickly; For one thing, he had already told her of his strange power, and secondly, he knew that he couldn't just expect her to trust him with her deepest secrets, they were hers to share if she wanted. So he settled for telling her everything he was trying to accomplish:

"Miya-dono, the girls are out patrolling without me for today, so I decided to do some training. I've been trying to figure out how to control this so-called 'Ashikabi power', but until now I've had no progress."

"Aren't you a forthcoming man, Minato-kun, I didn't see you as a person who would reveal his hand so easily," she said with an amused tone while cocking an eyebrow. "Is there any reason for you to tell me this?

"Not really, no," he said with a shrug. "But seeing as you took interest in what I was doing, I found no reason to hide it from you. Take it as a token of trust, if you will."

"Oh, are you implying something?" she asked in the same playful tone, but he noticed how she seemingly put more power into her words, making her appear much more intimidating than the normal, calm landlady he was used to. His basic instincts told him to bow down to her cowing, like a dog would bow down before an alpha, but he fought back the urge. Instead he weighted his words carefully, taking a neutral and honest route between submission and replying with equal force. Be

"No, I'm not one to mince words. If I want to say something, I will. I've found that the direct route is often the most convenient."

"I see," she said with a smile, but Minato noticed the flash of sadness that crossed her eyes when she continued. "That sounds like an interesting philosophy. My husband was of the same opinion while he was still alive."

"What happened to him? Was it an accident?"

Miya flinched at his question, and this time she couldn't conceal her sorrow at all. The sudden change took Minato completely by surprise, and it shook him when he realized how carefully the woman in front of him hid her true feelings beneath a mask of cheerfulness and calm. The mask had been so perfect that he hadn't noticed anything off about it, and he normally noticed when people were acting in front of him. When it then suddenly came off, he stood frozen and didn't know what to reply when she said in a voice barely above a whisper:

"That… is not something I prefer to talk about. As you can see, it brings me great pain only thinking about it."

She then turned and went back into the house, leaving him stunned behind. His shock only lasted for a few seconds however, until he regained his senses and his manners. He ran after her, catching up to her and bowing his head apologetically:

"I'm sorry Miya-dono, I hope you didn't take my question the wrong way, as I was simply curious."

"There's no need to apologize, so please raise your head Minato-kun." With a sad smile, she continued: "What has happened has happened, so I try to not dwell in the past, but what you said was identical to what my husband once told me the first time we met, and I just… regressed."

She sighed before she turned and said as she walked away. "Do not worry about, it won't happen again. I've already buried my past."

"That is not true," he said lowly, but she still froze in place like he had yelled it at her. "You cannot expect to just bury your past and expect it to stay buried, no matter what you do, it will come back to haunt you. Believe me, I know."

Seemingly against her will, she turned around slowly. He looked her squarely in the eyes as he continued: "It's obvious that haven't properly reconciled yourself with your past, and that you still try to deny that anything is wrong. I will not claim to know anything about your past, nor will I pry into it without your permission, but you need to know that nothing good will ever come from wallowing in guilt and regret. I went through something similar over a year ago and I thought that I never could go back to being the same person I had been again. "

He paused as the dark memories of that harsh period in his life came to life; the guilt and how he had tried to hide it beneath a mask of apathy. Unconsciously his hand clenched themselves into fists and he looked down at the floor as he continued: "It was a hard time for me, but thankfully a friend of mine understood what I went through me and helped get back on track. He convinced me to face my fears and guilt, and then he helped me get rid of them. If it hadn't been for him, I doubt that I never would have been able to snap out of my state of self-loathing and lethargy."

He sighed and looked back into Miya's eyes. "I guess what I'm trying to say, is that if you ever need to talk to someone about anything, do not hesitate about coming to me. I am a good listener, and I know how relieving it is to finally be able to talk about your troubles."

After hearing his offer, Miya stood silent for a second, but Minato couldn't catch any indications about what she was thinking about. But when she opened her mouth, it was clear from her tone what her answer would be.

"Minato-kun, I appreciate your offer, but…" she trailed off, letting him intervene:

"I understand what you're trying to say, and I apologize if you felt that I put you into a tight situation, Miya-san. I only extended the offer, and it is an open one; you can come and speak with anytime."

With those words he left, knowing that she needed time to ponder his words, without any pressure from him; only if she came on her own would she ever be able to reconcile herself with her past.

-

-

"Akizu," Minato said surprised, after having ventured back to his apartment to relax, only to find Akizu sitting there with a distant expression. "I didn't expect to find you here."

She snapped out of her dreamy state and said apologetically: "I'm so sorry Minato, but when Tsukiumi and Musubi went out together, I expected to be teamed up with Kagari-san, but when I went looking for him he had already left. As you said that we should always go out in pairs, I didn't know what to do, as Kusano-chan was napping with Uzume."

"Ah, there's no need to apologize, I was just surprised, that's all," Minato said quickly, as Akizu looked deeply flustered for some reason.

A small blush spread on her neck as she turned her head away from embarrassedly, making him ask in a playfully curious tone: "So what were you doing up here anyway, Akizu? You seemed like your mind were entirely somewhere else."

That made the blush spread to her face, an unusual color on her normally so pale skin, but it only made her even more beautiful in Minato's eyes. She still refused to meet his eye and muttered something incoherently that he didn't quite grasp.

"I didn't catch that, what did you say gorgeous?" he asked in the same teasing tone as he sat down next her, feeling how her skin was much warmer than normal, making the temperature almost like his own, but yet still cool to touch.

"I was watching you train but I didn't want to disturb so I hid in here," she said in one quick sentence, still avoiding his eyes.

"I see, but why would you want to watch me train, it can't be very interesting to you." As he asked this he gently made her face him, and her blush returned with full force at his next mischievous remark: "It can't be you that you were hoping that I would exercise bare-chested, was it Akizu?"

"Ye-no, I mean no, I would never" she denied frantically, but then she noticed his mock hurt expression and she turned even redder when she said: "wait, I didn't mean it that way, it's not like I wouldn't want that, but…" she trailed off, obviously too embarrassed to say anything more.

At this he couldn't contain himself anymore, and he leaned forward while smiling to kiss her passionately. "Relax, Akizu, I was only teasing you. You are just so adorable when you are flustered that I couldn't help myself."

-

* * *

-

"Oh" was the only sound that escaped her lips, as her mind was too occupied by the intense kiss he had just given her. The fact was that her mind had been constantly lagging behind since she had been woken from her delighting daydream and realized that she was currently all alone with Minato, something that had not happened in a long time.

That made her answers come on auto-pilot, and it wasn't until the words escaped her lips that she realized how idiotic they sounded. She had always held pride in her ability to keep a cool head in every situation, but when she were around him that fortitude always seemed to be conspicuously absent.

Her body also felt so hot, another thing she were not used to. Due to her powers, her skin always felt cool to touch, but now she felt like her blood was literally boiling. When he had kissed her, it was almost like a fire had spread from his mouth and that it was now threatening to burn her up from the inside. She had never felt anything like it. _Is this how it feels to be winged? _She wondered at the back of her mind, but she knew that was impossible. _Well, I doubt it can be better than this._

"What are you thinking about, Akizu?" her master's soft voice asked, and a small shiver went down her spine by the way he spoke her name. It awoke something in her that she didn't know what was; a feeling she had never felt before.

"About winging," she answered automatically, even though that was not the complete whole of what she was thinking about; she was just so distracted by the fire running through her veins. Unfortunately, it seemed like he mistook her absentmindedness with distraught as he quickly asked her if something was wrong.

"What?" she said and snapped her attention to him, not wanting him to worry about her. "No, no, it's not like that. It's just that when you kissed me, I felt so…" she trailed off, not knowing how to explain her body's reaction without saying anything embarrassing.

"Felt so what, Akizu. Good? Bad?" he asked, a little concernedly when he reached the last word.

"Definitely good," she said quickly. "It's just that I felt so hot when you kissed me and I know that's how it feels during a winging but I know that I can't be winged so I didn't understand what were happening with my body so I was distracted so I'm sorry if I distressed you but…"

He put a finger on her lips, effectively stopping her frenzied raving. "Take a breath or you'll turn blue," he said with a smile. "And I think I know what's happening with your body."

Her eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't say a word as his finger was still on her lips. When he removed it however, she didn't have any time to ask anything before he once more pressed his lips to hers with renewed vigor. She gasped slightly as she felt his tongue slip into her mouth and gently stroke along hers, but she didn't fight it, instead she quickly turned her head to allow him better access.

A small whine of disappointment escaped her throat when his lips left her, as it happened way too soon in her opinion. She had no idea how long the kiss had lasted, but for her it had taken both a millisecond and yet it also had felt like an eternity.

"So, does your body still feel the same?" he asked in what to her sounded like a deadly serious tone.

She considered it for a second, before she answered him in the same serious manner as him: "Yes, if anything I feel even more strange right now." She paused, fearing the answer when she asked a little hesitantly: "Do you know why?"

To her surprise, Minato face split into a devious grin as he lifted her body into his embrace, giving her an even more passionate kiss than before.

"Yes, I know exactly what you're experiencing," he said as he grinned wider and wider. "And I have the perfect solution."

-

* * *

-

He smirked as he started to plant gentle kisses down her pale neck, enjoying how her breath became heavier and heavier the further down he progressed. It never ceased to amaze him how innocent and easy to please his Sekirei were when it came to physical manifestations of love. In fact, their love was so pure that he guessed they would have been satisfied by simply being near him.

_Yet they are eager for so much more when given the right stimulation, they just don't know how to interpret the signals their bodies send them. _

This was perfectly pictured by the panting woman in sitting in his lap. He had barely started, yet she was already so aroused that he could actually smell it. As he started to kiss down her cleavage, she seemed at first a little unsure of what to do, but when he slowly pulled her robe off and gently licked one of her hardening nipples, she moaned loudly and let her instincts take over control of her body.

She wound her fingers into his hair started to stroke through it fervently. As he started to kiss into the valley of her breast and started moving towards her the till now ignored twin, she arched towards him, eager for more of his touch. She bucked her hips into his rapidly growing erection, and a small groan escaped his lips as she did so.

Her fingers were clawing into his back, desperately gripping his shirt to steady herself against the shocks of pleasure that ran up her spine and seemed to threaten to overcome her. He was amazed that she came this close to the edge from only some small ministrations from him to her beautiful flesh, but it definitely was so. The woman in front of her was gasping heavily for air, and it was no way of denying how close she was to giving into the bliss.

He flipped her suddenly over at her back, making her cry out in surprise before he restarted his trail of kisses downwards. He slowly unwound the band holding her robe together, and soon after she lay completely naked beneath him. He paused for a second to enjoy the sight of her white skin and the perfect body that were glistening with sweat and pheromones, and it was then that he realized that she obviously hadn't been wearing any panties, as she already lay completely nude. He smirked at this, and dove down between her legs and restarted his trail.

A whine came from her unconsciously as he skipped past her most sensitive area and instead started to wound his way down her thigh, slowly caressing her delicate body. He ignored this, knowing exactly how to bring her to the furthest height before flinging her off the edge.

-

Akizu's heart was beating faster and faster when he finally started to wound his way back upwards her leg. The coil inside her was wound together so tightly that every kiss he administered to her skin felt like a branding iron. Delicious warmth spread from the place he placed his lips before it spread outwards rapidly, engulfing her whole body in fire before it reached her brain and tightened her coil even further.

If it hadn't been for the fact that she trusted him completely, she would have become afraid of how strongly her body reacted to his attentions. As it were now, she could only revel in the experience, feeling how her body felt like it was out of her control, completely attuned to the man who was making love to her.

As he finally reached her womanhood, pleasure was coursing through her in white-hot waves, making every second feel like an eternity of blind pleasure. He then delved deeper, pushing her folds apart with his tongue and reaching into her center. She cried out in ecstasy and clamped his head between her legs. Suddenly he shifted his focus to the top of her slit, and he used his tongue to press apart her folds and reach the hood of flesh he found there.

Akizu's eyes widened as the coil which had been winded so agonizingly tight inside her suddenly snapped, causing debilitating pleasure of unprecedented magnitude soak through her nerves at the speed of light, making her body go rigid as the waves of bliss coursed through her. Her mind shut down, content to ride out the waves of heavenly euphoria in ignorant ecstasy, unrepentantly bucking her hips to prolong the stay in paradise.

-

Minato looked on with satisfaction as his pale beauty shuddered in the throes of her orgasm, her mouth hanging open in a wordless scream of ecstasy and her body flushed in contentment. As her final convulsions died down, he unwound himself from her legs and climbed up her body to capture her lips once more. She seemed a little dazed at first, but slowly it seemed like she returned to her senses and started to respond with more and more passion.

Slowly her hands started to work down his back, before she removed his sweaty shirt in one quick motion. Without further ado, her hands went to his belt, and he helped her gets his remaining garments off, leaving him as nude as her.

Her eyes flickered to the proof of his arousement, and he could see a small blush creep up her neck before she reached forward and grabbed hold of it lightly. Her cool hands around his manhood sent shivers of pleasure up his mind, and it almost felt like he was going to lose control there and then when she slowly started to stroke the engorged flesh.

"Oh god!" he whispered at her divine ministrations, before he went back to her lips. Even as they were kissing passionately, she continued to slowly stroke his pulsating erection.

Suddenly he couldn't contain himself any longer, and he positioned himself directly between her legs, letting his tip stroke against her outer lips, feeling how wet she were.

"Are you ready?" He whispered, and when she wordlessly nodded her agreement, he slowly slipped into her wet folds and penetrated her slowly and deeply. The sensation was almost indescribable, absolutely unlike from anything he had never felt before. Her inside were a mixture of both hot and cold, at one second he felt like he was plunging into an inferno, while at the next second a debilitating coolness surrounded his flesh like a forest stream.

She gasped as he started to move in her, and he assaulted her sex with vigor making them both pant heavily as pleasure coursed through their bodies. At this point he was only dimly aware of his surroundings; the only thing he was truly focused on was the woman writhing beneath him; how her bountiful breast bounced deliciously everytime he plunged into her. He moved one hand to gently stroke her breast, feeling the weight and feel of it his hands. With his fingers he carefully stroked her rock-hard nipple, and was rewarded with a small moan from the blonde.

"Minato," she gasped. "More,more."

He understood her request completely and started to strengthen his assault; every stroke became harder, and the speed of their lovemaking increased drastically. Emptiness and completion, fire through ice, contradictions and opposites coming at her from every angle intensified the numbing euphoria that shocked him every time they connected and every time he pulled out. With her legs still securely in his hold, they could both thrust into each other with as much force as their bodies allowed.

Wordlessly demanding more, Minato wasn't about to deny her. He felt like he was floating on air, the pleasure running through his body made even breathing difficult. Her physical prowess was displayed doubtlessly as she spurned to meet him, effortlessly keeping herself up while the hard muscles of her stomach defined themselves with each roll of her hips.

Her mouth gaped wide when his hands slipped and he fell onto her with the force of his whole weight behind him, but it wasn't the fall that had her gasping for air. When he landed fully on top of her, he had achieved his deepest penetration he thought possible, as she had arched her hips into his as he fell. He paused a second as the unexpected motion caused a pleasurable jolt to run up his spine.

He then continued and pushed into her almost brutally, but she just egged him on harder. He could feel the peak approaching, and he knew instinctively that she was close as well. His efforts was getting erratic, growing in strength each time, and he knew that he only needed a slight push to lose his control completely.

Her second orgasm obviously took her completely by surprise, as a wail unexpectedly escaped her lips, but was soon drowned by his lips. They lay so tightly embraced, that all his weight was supported by her, but it didn't seem like she minded, in fact she only held him tighter to her the harder he plunged into her.

As her inner walls convulsed around his shaft, he found himself not lightly pushed off the edge, but rather thrown headfirst into the abyss. With a groan, fire spread throughout his nervous system, soaking every nerve in incapacitating pleasure. When the fire reached his brain, his body went rigid, and an even louder groan came from his lips.

Even after the throes of climax had left them both, they continued to lie completely still in each other's embrace, both panting heavily for breath and basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

"I love you so much, Minato," she whispered after a while, to which he replied in the same manner: "I love you too, Akizu."

-

--XxoO--

-

* * *

"Musubi, do you also feel a strange sensation in your heart?" Tsukiumi asked the brunette who was standing right next to her.

"Yeah, I guess I do. I think it has something to do what Minato is feeling at the moment. It reverberates through our bond when either of us is feeling strong emotions."

Tsukiumi pondered this for a moment, but she expected that Musubi was right in what she said. After all, she had been with Minato for over a month, and would therefore know much more about him than her, even though that hurt to admit.

"So what do you think he's doing right now?" Tsukiumi asked. "I can't really make anything out of this sensation."

"Well, it feels like a good sensation, so I would guess that Minato is 'getting lucky'."

At this Tsukiumi wheeled around to face Musubi so fast she almost twisted her neck. "Do you even know what that means?" she sputtered. It seemed ludicrous that Musubi of all people should use such a crude expression.

"Eh, no," Musubi said innocently. "But Kagari-san said that a man feels best when he is getting lucky, so I assumed that it was so with Minato."

This answer caused Tsukiumi to palm her face in frustration and anger; of course that pervert would be the one teaching her those expressions. _I will kill Kagari the next time I see him, _she swore inwardly. _I will drown him like a…_

"Do you know what it means, Tsukiumi?"

"Yes I do, and no I won't tell you," she answered forcefully. "In fact, you should forget you ever heard that expression, are we clear?"

"No fair, now I'm just more curious," Musubi pouted. "Come on, tell me, tell me."

Tsukiumi ignored her childish rant and started to scan the streets below them instead. She was looking for someone, but she didn't know what to look for. Matsu had told them about an unknown Sekirei that attacked other Sekirei indiscriminately and left them for dead without revealing her identity. This went against everything Tsukiumi stood for, and she had vowed to herself to take this person down. Whoever it was, she would make that person pay for breaking the rules of a Sekirei fight.

-

After patrolling around for maybe thirty minutes, a high-pitched cry resonated through the streets and made both her and Musubi cringe by the intensity of the sound. From what she could judge, the sound originated from somewhere in front of them, so she motioned for Musubi to follow her and started to run.

They arrived just in time to see a white-clad and veiled Sekirei in the progress of attacking a boy and a girl who obviously was trying to run away. Remembering Minato's orders about protecting those who didn't want to fight, Tsukiumi stopped the lethal attack against the girl with a wall of water. She then turned against the veiled Sekirei and bellowed menacingly:

"I am number nine, Tsukiumi. Are you the infamous veiled Sekirei that attacks other Sekirei and leaves them behind to die? If you are, I will take you down."

When her opponent didn't answer, Tsukiumi felt her fury rising to extreme levels. This person was violating the sanctity of the Sekirei Plan and she was even such a coward that she wouldn't admit it. She was about to attack in anger, when Musubi put a soothing hand on her shoulder and said calmly:

"Don't strike in anger, Tsukiumi. Both Minato and Miya-sama has told me that if you lose control of yourself in a fight, then you have already lost."

Tsukiumi shot a glance of surprise at her brown-haired compatriot after hearing her wise words before she nodded her head in agreement. "You're right, Musubi," she said with a calm voice. "Thank you for looking out for me." The brunette only flashed a smile in response before they both shifted their attention back to their enigmatic opponent, who for some reason seemed frozen in place.

_Huh, seems like she's not so tough when she is facing someone who is actually willing to fight back, _Tsukiumi thought darkly.

"If you don't want to tell me your name then I guess I'll have to rip of your veil and find out for myself," Tsukiumi said with cold fury and started to prepare for battle.

-

-

-

**Author's note:**

**Another chapter with increasing length churned out, thought this one was not that much longer than the previous, stopping at around 20 pages. It took over a month before I managed to release the next chapter, but now it is finally here. I took a small break after finishing the last chapter to play Mass Effect 2, and when I had finished that game (An extraordinary experience btw), I had suddenly got a new idea for a Mass Effect fan fic. I wrote the first chapter in just two days, but I want to work a little more on the following chapters before I decide whether or not I will publish them. I feel that I have a great idea in my head, but it is damn difficult to get it down on paper. **

**Well back to this story, as it is still my main priority. When I finally manage to get a writing flow going, the pages gush out of me like a stream, but then I reach an obstacle, and everything falls dead in its track. That is such a frustrating experience that I have to pause writing for some time before I manage to start again. I reached such a point when I tried to write the scene with Minato and Miya, but it didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it. I don't know, I just feel like it is missing something. Well, at least I managed to break through that wall.**

**As always, please leave a review with your thoughts on this chapter, especially if you have something on the aforementioned scene, I really like to know what missed/what was good with that scene, as it might be pretty important later in the story. I always read every review, and I reply to those who ask questions or write something more than the regular oneliner.**

**-**


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